Worlds Without End
by Soul Reaver
Summary: When the Heartless destroy Bonkers' world, he and Miranda find themselves face to face with the relentless designs of Maleficent. Up next: Bonkers and Miranda are stranded on a war torn world where the Heartless have invaded. A BonkersKingdom HeartsOrigin
1. Trouble in the Worlds

Trouble in the Worlds  
  
Disclaimer: Except for Halb of Parmas and his world, I do not own the Bonkers or Kingdom Hearts franchises. Other crossovers may follow. Any mistakes in the series are from not having seen it in over a decade.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
The former cartoon star turned policeman Bonkers D. Bobcat, bounded through the halls of the police station. "WAHOO! I LOVE COFFEE!" Bonkers shouted as he held a half full mug in his hands.  
  
"Bonkers, wait!" shouted Miranda Wright, his partner. She was a slim, athletically figured blonde policewoman who was the other half of the best team in the Toon Division.  
  
"How many times have I told you not to drink from the pot of coffee that the Homicide Detectives brew?" Miranda shouted, smiling despite herself. Bonkers certainly made things interesting around here with his antics. Unfortunately there were people like the uptight Sergeant Grating who had absolutely no sense of humor. Unfortunately Bonkers was about to bounce right into Grating.  
  
"BOBCAT!!!!!" Grating shouted when Bonkers collided with him, "Officer Wright, you disappoint me."  
  
"Sorry Sergeant." Miranda replied.  
  
"Aren't you supposed to be working on interrogating that suspect?" Grating shouted.  
  
"We're on our way right now." Miranda replied, catching a fistful of Bonkers' shirt, "Aren't we Bonkers?"  
  
"Yeah." Bonkers replied. Aside from the coffee high, Bonkers had been fairly silent of late. Then again, every toon in the town seemed to be acting that way as well. It was almost like the way dogs act before a major earthquake. It was as if there was something wrong.  
  
Bonkers seemed as silent as a stone when he approached the holding cell where their suspect was being held. Just what was it, Miranda didn't know. But whatever it was it seemed to have Bonkers' fur standing on end. The poor little guy didn't want to be anywhere near that thing, it was like he was dreadfully afraid of it.  
  
The thing didn't speak at all, it didn't even have a mouth so to speak. It was a little shorter than Bonkers, all black, with clawed hands and antennae atop its head. It's only recognizable facial features were the antennae atop its head which started to twitch ever so when Bonkers and Miranda approached.  
  
"Bonkers?" Miranda said, "Are you OK?"  
  
Bonkers' color started to fade to white as he approached the creature. From working extensively with toons Miranda knew that her partner was scared out of his mind about this thing.  
  
"Bonkers, is there something you know about this thing?" Miranda asked.  
  
"All I know, Miranda is that it's evil." Bonkers said.  
  
"How do you know?" Miranda asked.  
  
"Toon intuition." Bonkers replied, with a feeble attempt at humor.  
  
"Look, Bonkers, if you're not up to this you can..." Miranda began.  
  
She never finished that sentence because the wall of the holding cell tore away as though it were only a cheap child's play thing as opposed to the construction of steel and concrete it actually was. The giant black hand that tore it away was connected to a large creature, as large as the building, with a face that radiated pure evil, it's hair and beard were black and flowed like wisps of smoke as the rest of its body did.  
  
Miranda turned to run, but saw Bonkers was paralyzed with fright. She grabbed his arm as Darkside tore through the station. Miranda ran into the main office area only to see several more creatures, like the little one in the holding cell standing all around her.  
  
Then the room started to turn black. It wasn't as if the lights had been turned off, it was more like a large black wave swept through the halls like an evil tide washing away everything and all before it.  
  
"Bonkerrrsss!" Miranda shouted as she went under.  
  
"Miranda!!!" Bonkers shouted from far away.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
'Where am I?' Miranda thought as she awoke. She saw that she was lying in a ditch beside a dirt road. It was a country road of sorts winding and narrow, meandering through the countryside like a snake. Miranda walked along the road, not sure where the nearest town was.  
  
The moon had just risen like a large sphere in the skies when Miranda encountered the brigands. The first clue she had of any problems was when a tall, somewhat chubby man approached her, saying.  
  
"Don't you know it's not safe for a lady to walk alone at night?"  
  
A short, muscular brigand came from the brush and said, "Hark, a lady alone, without escort? What land doth thou hail from?"  
  
"Does it really and truly matter?" the third brigand asked, he was taller than the second, with scars crisscrossing his face, "She is alone, and we will enjoy her company for tonight."  
  
Miranda reached for her gun at her side, only to find that the first brigand was holding it. "Was thou searching for this curious arquebus?" he said.  
  
The three men had surrounded her, the scar faced one had his weapon to her neck, "A woman should not be toying with firearms."  
  
The three men laughed as the tall one cast her gunbelt a good distance off. Miranda knew hand to hand combat skills, but against three men with three very wicked looking swords, she didn't have a chance.  
  
"Doth thou have a quarrel with the lady?" came a fourth voice. It belonged to a fellow with short black hair, brown eyes, and a lean build. On his belt were a sword and a small dagger.  
  
"Our business with the lady is our own." The short brigand said.  
  
"Aye, if it be so. But doth thou need blades to keep her company?"  
  
"Watch thy tongue stranger before I cut it from your mouth." The scarred one said.  
  
"I have no quarrel with you, nor do I wish one. And I do believe the lady has a right to chose if she'd like your company."  
  
"I shall hack thee from sternum to crotch and have thy tongue for my dinner stranger!" The scarred one said.  
  
The short one held Miranda's wrist behind her back, twisting it painfully and had his sword to her neck as the two men charged the stranger standing in front of them.  
  
The stranger didn't move, he stood impassive until the brigands closed to within five feet of him. Suddenly, with deceptive ease, the stranger drew a swept-hilt rapier (a very elegant gentleman's sword of the Renaissance era) from its scabbard and stood ready.  
  
"Hah!" laughed the leader, "That blade is on the wrong side of the sword. Art thou foolish."  
  
The two men stood just outside of the range of a thrust, flanking the swordsman. "The blade is reversed for it makes me your equal."  
  
"You'll be dead equal!" the leader laughed.  
  
The two men charged as one, intending to run the swordsman through. What Miranda saw next was amazing. The swordsman calmly took one small step backward as they reached him and swung his strange blade at the leader, whacking him in the throat with a blow that was enough to send him sprawling. Had the blade been facing the other way it would have hacked open the throat of the first brigand.  
  
The second sneered angrily and stabbed towards his foe. However the swordsman stepped sideways and towards his foe and swung the sword in a swift arc that landed the fast moving metal object on the man's stomach. He then struck the brigand in the face with the hilt.  
  
Moving faster than Miranda had seen a person or toon move, the stranger then face the third brigand who cast Miranda to the ground. Before he could get in position to strike the swordsman struck him four times around the face and a fifth in the temple, knocking him out.  
  
"Are thou alright, milady?" the swordsman said, helping Miranda to her feet.  
  
"I'm fine. That was amazing." Miranda said, "Who are you?"  
  
"I am Halb of Parmas."  
  
"So that sword, why is the edge facing you sharp? I don't know much about swords, but shouldn't the blade be facing the other guy." Miranda asked.  
  
"This blade is constructed by my design, for I have vowed I shall never take a life again." Halb replied.  
  
"Why?" Miranda asked.  
  
"For five decades war has waged our world. One by one the princes dragged their states on the sides of either faction. Acts of brutality and barbarity were commonplace. After the final battle in which the rightful king was brought to power I chose to take no part in the royal court." Halb replied.  
  
"Do you know where the nearest town is?" Miranda asked, "Or what it is? I don't even know where I am."  
  
"So I surmised, milady." Halb replied, "For it seems that by your garb you are not a native of this region. The nearest town is Vasserbunde, to the east, ten kilometers. But if thou would excuse my frankness, the road is dangerous at night; I cannot guarantee your safety."  
  
"What do you suggest then?" Miranda asked.  
  
"I have sufficient provisions to feed an extra person and an extra blanket. If thou would not mind, I shall make camp presently and offer thee a warm fire." Halb replied.  
  
Something about the mysterious swordsman made Miranda trust his motives. Certainly she wasn't about to take him to her apartment after a movie Saturday night, but the man seemed honorable and of his word as he began to make a circle of stones.  
  
Miranda went and collected several bits of wood and Halb set it afire. Soon they had a warm fire going and Halb draped the spare blanket over Miranda's shoulders. "What is your name?" Halb asked.  
  
"Miranda Wright."  
  
"So, Miranda Wright, where doth thou hail from?" Halb asked.  
  
"I'm from Los Angeles." Miranda replied, at Halb's blank stare she said, "California. The United States of America?"  
  
"They must be far off lands, for I've not heard of them." Halb replied.  
  
"What is this place called?" Miranda asked.  
  
"This is the land of Memel." Halb replied, "We are within the border of the city state of Vasserbunde."  
  
'City-state,' Miranda thought, remembering her fifth grade history class, 'Ah, yes, a city that controls a little bit of land, not really a nation but a small principality.'  
  
"Who is the prince of this city-state?" Miranda asked.  
  
"Prince Nupraptor rules from his keep, towering over the city of Vasserbunde." Halb replied.  
  
"So what about this war you fought in?" Miranda asked.  
  
"Twas but eight years ago that the last battle was fought. I left as a young man of twenty-three years and wandered the countryside for that time." Halb replied.  
  
So he was thirty-one years old, not that much older than Miranda's twenty- six years of age. "Why were you fighting?"  
  
"The principalities of Nachtholm and Stahlberg disagreed over a stretch of border. Count Ottomar of Willendorf, the chancellor of the Council of Princes was killed in his sleep by an unknown assassin. Stahlberg blamed Nachtholm and thus Nachtholm blamed Stahlberg. One by one the princes of the various city states began to side with Nachtholm or Stahlberg. The fighting consumed all of the land. Great clashes of arms resounded through the fields. Towns were burned and sacked, peasants put to the sword alongside the soldiers of the defeated garrisons that failed to defend them. My own city of Parmas only involved itself against Stahlberg when an assassin, supposedly from Stahlberg, slew our young queen in her bed." Halb replied.  
  
As Halb spoke Miranda could imagine the vast marching armies, the thunder of many footsteps and horses, the thunder of cannons and musketry, the clash of swords, the screams of wounded and dying men. Despite herself, Miranda yawned sleepily and curled up beside the fire and fell asleep.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Hmm, Vasserbunde, sounds Swedish." Bonkers said as he read the sign.  
  
Bonkers walked along the path towards the city, unaware that the peasants that he had been passing by all day had been suspicious, if not terrified, of him. "There he is!" shouted a voice.  
  
A mob of peasants came running from the woodwork with clubs, knives, torches and nets. "It is one of the creatures. Seize him!"  
  
Bonkers ran with the mob on his tail. He reached the gates of Vasserbunde and saw a guard standing there. He wore britches, an armored breastplate, and carried a bladed six foot pike.  
  
"Hi, I'm Officer Bonkers D. Bobcat, LAPD, you've gotta help me, there are these people after me....." Bonkers said, hoping that the common ground of both being cops would pull some leverage.  
  
The pikeman leveled the pike on his chest, "State your business in the city of Vasserbunde."  
  
"What business, I don't have any...." Bonkers began.  
  
The guard laughed harshly, "There have been strange creatures afoot here. Entire villages have been wiped out. How doth I know that thou art not associated with the Black Army that marches upon us?"  
  
Bonkers said, "I think I'll be going now."  
  
He tiptoed backwards away from the guard only to run into the back of an arquebus (primitive firearm). "Stay there. You are in the company of the Vasserbunde night watchmen."  
  
"Take him to the stockade." A man mounted atop a horse said, "Then we shall discover what this thing is in the morning."  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
TBC (AN: The Heartless are the Black Army the sentry speaks of. Don't worry more of this will be explained as things go on.) 


	2. The Fall of Vasserbunde

The Fall of Vasserbunde  
  
Disclaimer: Same as before.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Miranda awoke to the smell of food cooking. It was a soup of some kind, vegetables and roots of various kinds were being stirred in a stew of some kind. She could see Halb stirring the pot. "I hope thou shall forgive my rather lean pickings. I always eat simply when on the road." Halb said.  
  
"Have you seen a friend of mine? He's an orange cat, stands on two feet. A little on the strange side but his heart's in the right place." Miranda asked.  
  
"An orange cat, you say?" Halb asked.  
  
"He's a toon." Miranda replied.  
  
"A toon?" Halb replied, curious, "What manner of being is a 'toon'."  
  
"They're native to my, uhm, world." Miranda replied.  
  
A horseman approached their encampment, he wore the garb of a mounted soldier of the famed cavalry that Vasserbunde was famed to putting to the field. "Stranger! State thy business and name?"  
  
"I am Halb, of Parmas. This is Miranda Wright. We are merely passing through your state. I shall pay tributes to your prince presently." Halb replied.  
  
"Ensure that you do." The rider said, "And be cautious. There have been occasional brushes with the Dark Army of late."  
  
"Dark Army?" Miranda asked.  
  
"We hear songs of fear from the north from the traveling minstrels." Halb replied, "Of strange creatures attacking outlying villages and towns."  
  
"If you've never seen a toon before, how do you think the people of the towns and villages will react if they find Bonkers, my friend?" Miranda asked.  
  
"They will likely believe him to be associated with the Dark Army. He will likely be in the stockade with the local militia, under armed guard." Halb replied.  
  
"What about if the townspeople find him?" Miranda asked.  
  
"Twelve years ago Vasserbunde sustained a massive assault by armies from Coorhagen." Halb replied, "The town was almost razed to the ground. We ambushed Coorhagen's forces, and the cavalry of Vasserbunde closed the net." Halb replied, "The people of this state are paranoid, if your friend encountered the peasants, he'd definitely be killed."  
  
"WHAT?" Miranda said, going pale, "We've got to find him! Why would they kill him?"  
  
"Fear and paranoia has increasingly gripped our land since the war." Halb replied, "When an army would route its foes and a town would fall, much pillaging, death, rape and destruction would occur."  
  
"Where could he be?" Miranda asked.  
  
"I do not know, but it may stand to reason he is in Vasserbunde, for you appeared within her boundaries." Halb replied, "We had best get going to the city."  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Bonkers was no fool. He knew trouble when he saw it. And this military stockade teeming with the soldiers of Vasserbunde was definitely trouble. 'I never thought I would see the other side of the bars. I guess the universal code of policeman doesn't apply here.'  
  
At least the unruly mob he had fled from hadn't killed him, but they were waiting just outside the barracks. The soldiers had their hands full trying to keep the mob from becoming a full scale riot. He could see soldiers called harquebusiers, carrying the arquebus long arms, as they patrolled the walls of the bastion. They seemed tense but ready for battle, whether with the mob or even worse, with the Dark Army. A phalanx of pikemen marched by, with their long, sixteen foot bladed halberds and short, sharp and effective swords. They were doing their morning drills, practicing advancing with their pikes, shoulder to shoulder, creating a wall of sharp, shiny blades. Another group of foot soldiers practiced with their swords and daggers. The cavalrymen patrolled about the place on their horses, armed with pistols and rapiers (a more ornate sword usually reserved for aristocracy, officers, and the like).  
  
The soldiers were drilling for battle nearly constantly. Bonkers couldn't know this was the routine for Memel's city states. Their armies had to be prepared to fight many foes, which included brigands, the armies of neighboring city states, rebellions, and now these strange creatures called the Dark Army.  
  
Just where was Miranda? Did she survive? Did anyone survive the destruction of the precinct? Wait a minute, there was a small bird that appeared not to belong among the birds of this world. That was the friend that had helped him summon the toon train that saved he and Miranda's life when they were protecting a witness on another train and they had been thrown out into the desert to die. The bird came forward to the cell as Bonkers beckoned him over.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Miranda and Halb, after putting out the fire and gathering their belongings, headed for the town of Vasserbunde, to start their search for Bonkers. Suddenly a little bird with a message under its feet flitted in front of them.  
  
The paper unfurled, a special sort of toon paper. All it had was a picture of Bonkers on it. The pictured shouted one word, "HELP!!"  
  
The bird led them towards the stockade on the outside of Vasserbunde. Outside was a large mob of peasants with torches, clubs and pitch forks. A picket line of pikemen supported by harquebusiers and flanked by cavalrymen stood between them and the barrack gate.  
  
The blast of a trumpet sounded, "Make way for the prince!" a stentorian (town crier, does public announcements) shouted.  
  
A young man no older than thirty on horseback together with his entourage and honor guard headed for the barrack gate. As the peasants genuflected to their lord, Halb and Miranda did the same. The prince stopped before Halb and said, "Rise, swordsman of Parmas. Why art thou in Vasserbunde?"  
  
"My liege, I am here to ask the pardoning of a prisoner held in the stockade." Halb replied.  
  
"The orange one the night watch captured?" Prince Nupraptor replied.  
  
"Yes my liege, I beg most humbly on my knee he be released into my care." Halb replied.  
  
"Rise, great swordsman of Parmas. You fought alongside me on the field of battle, for that alone I regard thee a brother." Prince Nupraptor replied, with wisdom beyond his years, "Class and rank alone do not earn one respect. I have seen a nobleman of great breeding hide like a frightened rat from a lowly pikeman. I've seen a boy page fight a cavalryman with a broken halberd (pike) pulled from his own side to try to protect his wounded master. Thy great courage in battle has won you my respect."  
  
"I am honor milord." Halb replied.  
  
Presently Bonkers was released into Halb and Miranda's custody. The three of them went into a tavern for lunch and to talk about what was going on. "Halb, how did you earn the prince's respect?" Miranda asked.  
  
"It was during the battle of Ziegsturhl." Halb replied. "On a field facing the City of Many Roads our force of twenty-two thousand faced a force of thirty-thousand. In the face of this massive force our horsemen of Vasserbunde appeared to flee before the storm. Our musketeers exchanged volleys and our pikemen charged the enemy line. The cavalry of Stahlberg struck our flanks. Then from behind a thick wood came the forces of Vasserbunde."  
  
Both Bonkers and Miranda could imagine the clash of arms, the smoke of the arquebuses, the clang of swords and the screams of the dying men on both sides.  
  
Halb continued his tale, "Horse and man fell amid the confused smoke and tangle of blades and pikes. Nupraptor's mount fell dead to the arquebuses of one of the infantry squadrons led by the Prince of Coorhagen. Pinned under his horse he expected to die. Nupraptor's wisdom in battle and skill of leadership led us to victory many a time, this I could not allow. I slashed my way through five enemy soldiers before I dragged him free and shouted to the bearer of his standard to rally the troops. The horsemen of Vasserbunde engaged the mounted troops of Stahlberg with renewed vigor and the infantry of the Prince of Parmas hacked their way through Coorhagen's in order to rescue Nupraptor."  
  
"You saved his life." Miranda says.  
  
"Thanks buddy, because you sure saved mine." Bonkers said, "We gotta hug."  
  
Halb tried to pull away as Bonkers wrapped his arms around the former soldier and kissed him on the cheek. "Thou art quite affectionate." Halb began.  
  
"He can be that way." Miranda laughed lightly.  
  
"Prince Nupraptor is a fool." A man from a nearby table growled to several of his compatriots. From their rough clothing and manners, Halb could tell they were mercenaries from the southern states of Lissepia, Ravinok, and Dozaria. They were hard bitten men who were used to selling their services as fighting men to the highest bidders and were the most notorious pillagers of the war.  
  
"I agree. He tries to negotiate with the invaders from the north. Time and again the envoys come back with only a message that war is inevitable. It is almost as if the Wolf of Ziegsturhl has lost his courage and fears his own shadow." Another replied.  
  
"That's not true," a server said, "Prince Nupraptor is a great man. For over a decade he has kept invader and brigand at bay."  
  
"Mind thou tongue wench!" the first of the men said, backhanding the red haired serving girl.  
  
"Excuse me." Halb said to Bonkers and Miranda, walking to the nearby table, "Doth thou have a problem with her opinion of her sovereign lord and your employer?"  
  
"Keep out from this stranger! Or I shall cut thy tongue from thy mouth and make thee eat it!" the first said.  
  
"Perhaps this man wants to fight! He is a former soldier, for you can see the rapier on his belt!" another of them said. He was a black haired fellow with a stocky, muscular body.  
  
"Who art thou stranger?" the first said, "I am the Infamous Butcher of Steinchroe!"  
  
"Thou talks bravely, but thine information is wrong. For I know the Butcher of Steinchroe himself." Halb replied calmly.  
  
"I know not your name, stranger! Tell it to me so I can have your tombstone made!" Butcher said.  
  
"I am Halb of Parmas." Halb replied.  
  
"Whoa! Can we try not to have bloodshed here? Pleeeease?" Bonkers said, on his knees with his hands clasped and his pupils very dilated.  
  
"What manner of creature is this?" Butcher said.  
  
"He is Bonkers D. Bobcat, a toon, a friendly race from a far off land." Halb explained, "Perhaps we can make a deal."  
  
"Thou must be Prince Nupraptor's bedfellow! I always knew our Princely Employer was feminine!" laughed one of the others, the stocky one, "I am Balinor of Ravinok, Halb of Parmas."  
  
"Balinor, thou would be wise to keep thy tongue." Halb said calmly.  
  
"Hah!" laughed a third man, a tall, blonde haired man, "I am Earl of Lissepia."  
  
"Prince Nupraptor is the sovereign of this land and your employer. Thou would be best reminded to remember that." Halb replied.  
  
"Thou shalt be dead Parmas!" Balinor shouted.  
  
"Thou shalt mind thou tongue." Halb said, starting to extract his sword.  
  
"That blade is reversed! Do you think us fools and cowards to face us with a blade that is built wrongly?" Butcher said.  
  
"Butcher of Steinchroe, this sword is to make me your equal. I cannot slay thee with ease using this blade, for I have sworn to never take life, only to defend myself." Halb replied.  
  
"Then do so Halb of Parmas!" Butcher shouted as he rushed towards Halb, his dagger drawn.  
  
Halb merely drew his sword, striking Butcher under the chin. The man fell like a pole axed mule to the floor of the bar. Halb hadn't even drawn his sword and one of his opponents was down. Halb had two more ruffians to deal with. The two mercenaries drew their swords and advanced menacingly towards Halb.  
  
Halb calmly drew his sword from its scabbard and stepped sideways, swinging the blade with a good deal of force behind it. He struck Balinor across the throat with a single swing of his sword. He fell to the ground coughing violently. Earl backed off, more cautiously, avoiding being vanquished in one swing the way two of his mates had been. He thrust the blade towards Halb who sidestepped and swung the sword downward in an arc towards the meeting point of Earl's neck and right shoulder. Had the blade been turned the proper way, an artery would be slashed and blood would spray.  
  
Earl fell, all six foot four of him, in a graceless manner, like a falling manhole cover. Halb replaced his sword into his scabbard and paid the inn keeper. "Will this be sufficient?" Halb said.  
  
The tavern's owner, a woman in her mid-forties who still appeared quite attractive, nodded wordlessly. Only one man she knew of could fight three with such ease and skill, a great swordsman known as the Butcher of Steinchroe for the great skill with the blade. He reportedly slew more than two dozen men during the battle of Steinchroe. Halb of Parmas and the Butcher of Steinchroe were one and the same.  
  
Halb stood impassive over the three men he had vanquished, each with a single blow. Miranda and Bonkers did not know of his dark secret, that he was the notorious Butcher of Steinchroe. It was a deed that for a decade haunted Halb's past. The twenty-four men he had slain when he'd hacked through the harquebusiers of Steinchroe were merely the beginning. No quarter was offered or given to the defenders of Steinchroe and acts of brutality and barbarity were common.  
  
'They cannot know. They must not know; that Halb of Parmas and the Butcher of Steinchroe are the same man.' Halb thought.  
  
As they walked into the town square a wounded soldier staggered into the town. He was a skirmisher, a light infantryman who specialized in harassing the enemy force. "Get a doctor!" Someone shouted.  
  
Being a police officer, Miranda was trained in basic first aid. She ran up to the wounded soldier. "What happened?" she asked as she took water from a bucket and a rag and washed several of the worst of the man's cuts.  
  
"A patrol from our cavalry ran into scouts from the Dark Army." The soldier said, in reply, "I am Johann of the village of Feldstatden. Eight days ago we ran into an advanced party of the Dark Army and repelled them across our border into the lands they occupied. We pursued them only to encounter the main element of the Dark Army just across our border. They have destroyed our outlying outposts and villages. They hunted the remains of the skirmishers down, I am all that survives."  
  
Miranda bandaged Johann's wounds as best she could as they waited for the doctor. "Shh, keep your strength." Miranda said. Halb gave Johann some water to drink and some bread from a baker.  
  
Later, upon hearing this, Prince Nupraptor issued a writ to all the villages and townships in the state of Vasserbunde. All the couriers in the state were sent out on the roads to distant outposts and garrisons to mobilize all the soldiers to face the threat facing Vasserbunde.  
  
According to Johann, the Dark Army numbered in excess of seventeen thousand men. The number of men Vasserbunde would be able to muster would be maybe ten or twelve thousand at most.  
  
"These are fearful odds." Halb said to Miranda, "The fall of Vasserbunde seems assured."  
  
Soldiers marched in close ranks through the streets. In spite of the fact that every soldier in Vasserbunde was being mustered to face the Dark Army, it seemed already too late. And what was worst, was that the Heartless could replenish themselves by taking the hearts of those who survived their assaults, adding more to their ranks. It seemed Vasserbunde's days were numbered.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
TBC: Up next, the Battle of Vasserbunde. 


	3. Vasserbunde Besieged

Vasserbunde Besieged  
  
Disclaimer: Same as before. I don't own a very familiar crossover occurring.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Johann still had his arquebus, slung over his shoulder as well as a small sword at his side. He, Halb, Miranda and Bonkers were clustered around part of an earthworks fortification.  
  
"When siege should come to Vasserbunde, we shall be ready." Johann said.  
  
Halb said, "Tis true that for all the years that the Prince's Keep has stood that no army has ever taken it, but during the War Vasserbunde suffered much destruction at the hands of Coorhagen."  
  
"But the armies of Vasserbunde and Parmas were able to drive Coorhagen from the city and lift the siege." Johann protested. He was a young man, no more than twenty years old, and though his was yet another generation to come of age in war, he was but an infant when Vasserbunde last suffered an invasion.  
  
"Twas not more than two decades ago that Vasserbunde suffered last the indignity of siege." Halb replied, he had been an apprentice officer at the time, learning the arts of gentlemanliness and warfare.  
  
"How long did this war last?" Miranda asked, "I mean it seems you talk about it all the time."  
  
"The war lasted for nearly seventy years." Halb replied, "Whole generations lived and died amidst much bloodshed and tears."  
  
"Mine is but the first to know peace." Johann said, "I was but twelve years old and an apprentice jager for the estate of Prince Nupraptor's estate."  
  
"Jager?" Miranda asked.  
  
"A huntsman, skilled at stalking wild game, keen of eye and skilled marksmen they are." Halb replied.  
  
"That is why in times of war, we jagers are called upon as skirmishers and harquebusiers. Our deadly skills as marksmen win us great renown." Johann replied.  
  
"That is why the forces of the Prince of Amaleinberg were able to carry the day against the armies of Avernus at the Battle of Golgotha." Halb replied.  
  
"Truly, that is why Avernus was nearly removed from the war." Johann replied, "Father Dominic often says that were it not for Parmas coming to Avernus' rescue, the city of Avernus would have been but a memory drowned in the blood of its citizens."  
  
Johann continued, "Now the peace we have experienced for but a slight breadth of time leaves us before war."  
  
"The Dark Army could not have struck at a more opportune time." Halb replied, "The city-states of Memel are weary from seventy years of war and from widespread destruction. We distrust one another just as badly as we did before the war. The only reason it ceased was because we could not continue fighting. We are divided amongst ourselves."  
  
"The Council of Princes will unite Memel against this Dark Army." Johann said, "They will put aside their differences and fight our common foe."  
  
"Nay, they shall not." Halb replied, as he did, the sounds of cannon and arquebus could be heard in the distance as the Dark Army's forward elements encountered the force that Vasserbunde mustered to defend itself. Several more soldiers, called auxiliae, busied themselves behind the ramparts of the bastion trace, the fortifications around Nupraptor's Keep.  
  
Halb continued, "I know the Princes of Steinchroe and Coorhagen shall rejoice at Vasserbunde's destruction."  
  
"Should this Dark Army destroy Vasserbunde, one of the more powerful states of Memel, surely the princes shall see their folly and unite." Johann replied.  
  
"Nay shall they do so." Halb replied, "They will inevitably close up their borders, blaming each other all the while, whilst this great beast consumes them one at a time."  
  
"Must thou be so negative Swordsman of Parmas." Said a woman's voice.  
  
"Princess Arial," Halb said, as he and Johann dropped to one knee and bowed, "My sovereign lady, I meant not to frighten thee."  
  
"Rise soldiers." Arial said, she was a fair skinned maiden with brown hair and rich brown eyes, "Thou needst not be so negative. My Nupraptor's wisdom and charisma has united principalities before."  
  
"True, he was able to persuade Parmas to join in arms against the threat of Coorhagen during the War." Halb replied, "But can he convince all the princes of the Council to put aside their differences? I know many a prince would love to see Nupraptor's state crumble."  
  
"Those princes hate my beloved husband for his success at statesmanship and his wise and benevolent rule." Arial said, "None but he could convince you, Halb of Parmas, to reverse the direction of your blade."  
  
"I shall not do so, for I have sworn to never take life again." Halb replied.  
  
"My husband is charismatic enough to convince anyone to follow him." Arial said, "By your leave, gentlemen."  
  
She and her entourage were leaving for Nupraptor's Keep as the sounds of battle were growing closer and closer to the outer defenses of Vasserbunde. Now the batteries outlying the city were firing.  
  
"NUPRAPTOR!" Arial shouted. A horse staggered on its last legs into the city. Flanked by his personal guard, Nupraptor was propped up on his horse.  
  
"Help me lay him down. Support his neck." Miranda said, as Halb and Johann helped carry him into the nearby inn. They laid him on a bed.  
  
"All our ranks have broken. The infantry broke first." Nupraptor began.  
  
"He's got two broken ribs, maybe three." Miranda said, "Blunt object trauma, numerous cuts and bruises. Sorry, you're not riding into battle anytime soon."  
  
"Art thou a doctor?" Arial asked, tears in her eyes.  
  
"No, I'm a policewoman." Miranda replied, "But basic first aid is something they teach us all at the Academy."  
  
A doctor came in and gave the same assessment, "He must have rest. Take him to the Keep, he must be protected."  
  
"He will survive?" Arial asked.  
  
"Yes, milady, he shall." The doctor said, "He must. For Vasserbunde needs him at this, our hour of need. But he needs rest and good food to keep his strength. Most importantly he needs you to be strong."  
  
Arial stiffened, visibly, "I shall do my best."  
  
"My sovereign lord!" a runner said, staggering in, "The Dark Army is in their battle set, they will with expedience march upon Vasserbunde!"  
  
"Herald. My husband is unwell. Bring all messages intended for him to me, I shall command the defense of this city." Arial replied.  
  
"With all due respect, milady," began the noble Sir Ferguson of Feldstadten, "Thou shalt command the forces of Vasserbunde. Milady hath not been educated in the ways of war."  
  
"Sir Ferguson, for years your father served my husband as his chief military advisor. I know how to listen and how to learn. I have learned much looking over the shoulders of the gentlemen as they learned their lessons of warfare." Arial began, her brown eyes moist, as she took Nupraptor's hand she declared, "For my love and all of Vasserbunde, I shall not fail! The Dark Army shall not gain the city!"  
  
A group of swordsmen overheard the princess' words, taking up the cry, "For Nupraptor! Arial! And Vasserbunde!!!"  
  
A group of harquebusiers on the ramparts shouted back, "For Nupraptor! Arial! And Vasserbunde!"  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
In a dark room, looking through a crystal ball, a slim, pale skinned hand passed over it. "It has begun." Maleficent said.  
  
"Vasserbunde means to stand fast? Defended by a woman?" said a corpulent man in royal garb.  
  
"Underestimate not your foes, Terroenza, Prince of Steinchroe." Maleficent replied to the fat prince, "For it was that underestimation of the forces of Vasserbunde and Parmas that led to your dethroning and exile."  
  
"Pagh! With the Heartless, Vassserbunde shall be mine! Followed by all of Memel!" Terroenza replied. Ten years ago his armies had been routed by a seemingly inferior force led by Prince Nupraptor of Vasserbunde. He swore vengeance against Nupraptor since that day.  
  
"Beware, for the Heartless consume the careless as easily as they do worlds." Maleficent began.  
  
Both of them beheld the sights of battle, a group of running harquebusiers heading for the walls of Vasserbunde, a horseman pinned under his horse, a line of pikemen trying to hold back a quartet of Large Body Heartless, swordsmen fighting losing duels with Bandits, and the sight of Prince Nupraptor being laid in his sickbed.  
  
"Vasserbunde is soon to fall before the power of the Heartless!" Terroenza remarked.  
  
"Do not underestimate the princess, for her heart is strong, as is her resolve." Maleficent said.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
As Bonkers, Miranda, Johann and Halb walked through the streets of Vasserbunde, they were unaware they were being followed. The first inkling Halb had of their pursuers was when Bonkers suddenly vanished from their group.  
  
"Hark, milady, we are being pursued." Halb began.  
  
Miranda reached for her gun when suddenly a masked man grabbed her from behind and zapped her with a shock stick. She fell limp to the ground. Johann and Halb drew their swords to face the three masked figures.  
  
Halb slowly extracted his reversed blade sword, "Masked ones, I swore I would only employ my blade in the defense of myself or others."  
  
The two facing Halb did not respond. They only left one to face Johann, since the young man was injured, having his left arm in a sling and bandaged. They came with their strange electrified sticks and Halb blocked the blow from the first, a young, slim bodied male. It didn't shock Halb since his blade did not strike the strange blue prongs.  
  
"Thou art skilled, swordsman from afar." Halb said, "That you are, but thy works are wrong."  
  
Halb quarter turned, still facing the masked man and struck him in the guts. The man doubled over with a gasp and Halb struck him in the head with the hilt of his sword. The second one, a larger man, had been hanging back, ready to fight either Halb or Johann, depending on which of his team needed help. Miranda and Bonkers were being carted off by two strange looking beings, toons. One of them was a large, multi-eyed beast, and the other a skinny, one eyed creature.  
  
The large man came forward and Halb barely blocked his blow. "Thou art swift for a large man. Art thou a swordsman of Parmas?" Halb asked.  
  
A deep bass voice replied, "I don't know where Parmas is, but you'd best cooperate for your sake."  
  
"Thy confidence in thine skill and strange powers is great, but likely misplaced." Halb said. Out of the corner of his eyes he could see Johann stagger to the ground as the tip of the strange sword touched him. He did not bleed, as though stabbed, however, and he still breathed.  
  
"As is your confidence in your swordsmanship." The man replied.  
  
"I am Halb of Parmas, the Butcher of Steinchroe, one of the most feared swordsmen of the War." Halb replied.  
  
"You call yourself a butcher, but your sword's blade is reversed." The man replied, "Why is that?"  
  
"Why indeed, for the Butcher of Steinchroe vanished after the last battle of the War, because he swore he would never take life again." Halb replied, "Thou must be most skilled with the blade or foolhardy to challenge me."  
  
Halb and the strange man exchanged blows again and Halb saw an opening, swinging his blade towards the massive man's thick neck. It never reached there, for the man pulled a smaller version of the blue tipped sword and touched Halb's blade with a speed he never thought possible.  
  
The charge went through the blade and sent Halb tumbling earthward. "What strange land doth thou hail from?" Halb asked before he blacked out.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Are they alright?" Cobra Bubbles asked David, Nani's boyfriend.  
  
"You should ask me if I'm alright." David groaned. The slim, brown skinned Hawaiian teenager was currently holding an ice pack over his head, "That swordsman put me through my paces."  
  
"The young man should be fine." Dr. Jumba Joukiba said, his four eyes blinking as one, "His arm should heal in two weeks."  
  
"The swordsman? The blonde? The toon?" Cobra asked.  
  
"All should be fine, you should get checked too." Dr. Joukiba said.  
  
"He landed a couple glancing blows. They might have been worse, if the blade had been facing me." Cobra replied, rolling up the sleeves of his black suit and pulling up his shirt. His muscular body sported three bruises which could have been deep cuts if Halb had the blade facing him.  
  
Nani tended David's bruises, "Maybe you should practice more."  
  
"It appears one of them is awakening." Pleaky said.  
  
"Ouch! Hmm, a rapier with a reversed blade, I wonder why he chose that design. There seems to be a way to turn the blade back so it faces the right way." Dr. Joukiba said, he had accidentally cut himself when he extracted Halb's sword, failing to realize the blade was reversed before it sliced into his meaty hand.  
  
"Thou art most foolish to handle a blade you have never before seen. That you are."  
  
"Who are you?" Joukiba said.  
  
"I am Halb, of Parmas." Halb replied, "Why have you taken us?"  
  
"I can answer that." The large, ebony skinned man replied, "I am Cobra Bubbles. We have met in a clash of arms before. We need your help."  
  
"You have a strange way of seeking our aid stranger." Halb said, as he walked across the room labeled Infirmary. It was a strange place, its walls made of a material he'd not seen before. Strange machines beeped and flashed. He could see Miranda, Bonkers and Johann lying on beds similar to his own. They were not restrained in any fashion, so it seemed they had his same status.  
  
"Forgive our methods, Halb, but we couldn't exactly approach your world directly." Cobra Bubbles said, "I'll explain soon."  
  
"Mmm. What's happening?" Miranda groaned as her eyes opened.  
  
"Art thou alright milady?" Halb asked, "We appear amongst friends, so worry not."  
  
"You are. Because we're all in this together." Cobra Bubbles said, "As you notice, Miranda and Bonkers are not of your world."  
  
"Truly? They are strangers from a far off land." Halb replied.  
  
"Yes. For your world of Memel is not alone in the universe. It is one of many worlds floating through Interspace." Cobra Bubbles said.  
  
"Interspace?" Halb asked, "What pray tell is Interspace?"  
  
"Interspace is where we are now. You are on the Destiny, a Gummi Ship that Dr. Joukiba built before our world was destroyed by the Heartless." Cobra Bubbles said.  
  
"The Heartless?" Miranda asked as she walked over to them.  
  
"Those strange beasts that routed the army of Nupraptor and lay siege to the walls of Vasserbunde, are they allies?" Halb replied.  
  
"They are the Heartless, swordsman of Parmas." David said, "They are beings without hearts."  
  
"They consume the hearts of man and world alike." Cobra Bubbles said, "And those who's hearts they take become Heartless themselves. And when a world, like ours, loses its heart to the Heartless, the world is destroyed."  
  
Cobra Bubbles opened a shielded view port. It showed a strange medium, thin as air, and below it was the land of Memel. "How art thou doing this? Magic?" Halb asked.  
  
"Where I come from, they call it science." Miranda replied.  
  
Cobra Bubbles handed Halb his sword and Miranda her gun. Johann's arquebus and sword were on a nearby table. "What I need from you is not just your fighting skill. A prophesy says that you, Halb of Parmas are he whom we seek."  
  
"What?" Miranda asked.  
  
"The Five Doors of Conflict." Nani said, "They must be closed to deny the Heartless access to Kingdom Hearts. The prophesy says a lone swordsman will seal the doors."  
  
"But canst thou not mean another swordsman?" Halb replied.  
  
"The prophesy says that a diamond in the rough, swearing to never take life and who fights only for justice shall lock the Doors of Conflict." Nani said.  
  
"And it seems you are the most likely candidate. Our next stop is Traverse Town, where we will take you before Merlin." Cobra Bubbles said.  
  
"Traverse Town?" Miranda asked.  
  
"It is a town where the survivors of destroyed worlds gather." Joukiba said.  
  
At the thought of survivors, Miranda asked, "Do you mean to say that my world...?"  
  
"Was destroyed, yes." Cobra Bubbles said, "We observed the Heartless destroying your land of Toon Town."  
  
"Oh my God." Miranda paled, "My sister, my nephew, are they....?"  
  
"Perhaps." Cobra Bubbles said, "But you may find them in Traverse Town."  
  
"Nani, you, Lilo and Stitch have a new room mate." Cobra Bubbles continued, "David, you and Halb will share a room and Bonkers will live with Dr. Joukiba and Pleaky."  
  
The ship continued on its course to Traverse Town as Miranda hoped against hope that she would find Shirley and Timothy again. Halb put a hand on her shoulder and said, "Miranda, should thou require my aid to find your loved ones, you have it."  
  
She turned towards him, putting her arms around his neck in a friendly way, "Thank you Halb."  
  
"Thou art welcome." Halb replied, "Let us hope in this Traverse Town we find answers or closure."  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
TBC (Coming to Traverse Town and meeting some more familiar faces from Bonkers' world.) 


	4. Traverse Town

Traverse Town  
  
Disclaimer: Same as before. The Musketeer Heartless is my invention. It resembles a Soldier Heartless except instead of using its claws it uses a weapon similar to Johann's arquebus.  
  
Poohbear98366 - Yes, the conflict is called the Seventy Years War by historians of the court of Avernus.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
The Destiny touched down on the landing area of Traverse Town and her crew disembarked from it. Johann, Lilo, Stitch and David were staying behind to watch the ship while Miranda, Bonkers, Halb, Cobra and Nani were heading into the town to pick up supplies.  
  
Cobra went into the Item Shop to check out some supplies for the ship, especially for food because the addition of three new crew members had just about eaten up the supplies. Halb, Nani, Miranda, and Bonkers decided to explore a bit, instead of going inside.  
  
A barrel nearby started to shake and shift when the three walked near it. They could hear muffled noises coming from it. "A Heartless?" Bonkers asked, turning white and producing a huge mallet from his shirt.  
  
Before either Halb or Miranda could stop Bonkers he swung the mallet down and shattered the barrel into a million pieces. A woman sat bound and gagged on the ground. It was Shirley Wright, Miranda's sister.  
  
"Oh my God! Shirley, are you alright?" Miranda said.  
  
"Mmph! Mrrmmph! Mrrmmpph!" Shirley said.  
  
Halb stifled a laugh and said, "I believe conversation would work best if you removed her gag first, that I do."  
  
Miranda gave him a mock glare and Halb raised an eyebrow, confused. In an instant Miranda was on her knees to undo the ropes. She pulled the rag tied around Shirley's mouth and pulled the other rag that was stuffed inside.  
  
"Who did this to you?" Miranda asked.  
  
"Some lady with a huge grudge against you, her name was...." Shirley began.  
  
"Who was it?" Miranda asked.  
  
"Lili? Lilian? Ah, Lilith Duprave." Shirley replied, "She and this huge German guy grabbed me and Timothy and after they tied me up and stuffed me in this barrel they left. Who is that lady?"  
  
"Lilith Duprave. I was a witness against her when she was caught counterfeiting bills." Miranda replied, "She hasn't exactly been too forgiving about me putting her in jail."  
  
"I can imagine. She and three of her henchmen and this roach toon were around too." Shirley replied.  
  
"Al Vermin." Miranda replied, with sinking guilt.  
  
"Look out!" Bonkers shouted and shoved Shirley and Miranda to the ground as a loud bang sounded, the unmistakable sound of a gunshot.  
  
At the sound of this gunfire, Johann came running from the Destiny, parked a few meters away. "I see where the shot came from. Tis one of the Dark Army firing upon thee."  
  
Though his left arm was heavily bandaged, Johann still brandished his twenty pound arquebus. He dropped to one knee and aimed at the roof of the building where the creature, a Musketeer Heartless, was reloading his weapon. He squeezed the trigger and with his deadly aim a ball flew towards the creature, shattering its skull and sending it falling into the Second District.  
  
"That was amazing!" Miranda said, mouth agape. She wondered just how accurate a shot Johann was, when he wasn't injured. She could have sworn she saw that shot go right through the creature's eye.  
  
"Twas good marksmanship, Johann." Halb replied, smiling.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Another cannon ball crashed against Vasserbunde's bastion traces, crumbling some of the stone. The batteries defending the Northern Bastion fired volleys of cannon balls back into Heartless ranks, decimating squadrons of Bandits and Soldiers.  
  
A line of Musketeer Heartless lined up and fired their volleys. Several soldiers fell, dead, to the ground. Moritanius the Duke of Vasserbunde, a young man in his early thirties, stood at the parapet, advising his harquebusiers to hold their fire as the Musketeer Heartless advanced shoulder to shoulder with several Soldiers and Shadows behind them.  
  
"Fire!" Moritanius shouted.  
  
Volleys of highly accurate arquebus fire decimated the first rank of Heartless who spilt black blood into Vasserbunde's soil. The first ranks broke into a charge up the bastion walls. The reserve harquebusiers opened up, tearing holes into the ranks of the Heartless before they got anywhere near the fortress walls. Several pikemen on the walls faced the Heartless as they closed in and impaled several of them on the wall of sharpened fourteen foot spears.  
  
The fighting began to become a hand to hand fight as several Large Bodies rushed the holes in the wall of the Northern Bastion. "Hold them!" Moritanius shouted.  
  
At once several pikemen swarmed the hole, stabbing their long spears into it. A Large Body bellowed in pain as four pikes buried themselves in its ample gut. It fell amongst its fellows as more Large Bodies advanced over it. Now several harquebusiers added their fire into the rank, decimating the attackers as they closed in. The Large Bodies, through sheer size and weight, many of them spilling blood from dozens of wounds, threw several of the pikemen and harquebusiers against the walls of their own fortress.  
  
Moritanius had his rapier drawn and was fighting off two Soldier Heartless. He slashed the first across the stomach, spilling its intestines like fat snakes onto the walkway. He stabbed his dagger into the second's throat, sending it choking away.  
  
Now through a hole made in the side of the Bastion several Heartless charged through, despite several of their number being decimated by the overlapping fields of fire that the North Bastion's construction allowed. So far the North Bastion's eight thousand men were holding, killing more Heartless than they lost. But for how long?  
  
The sound for retreat called as the last Heartless attack was broken by the North Bastion's defenses. The fort was one of four that defended the four major roads through the Black Forest into Vasserbunde. Moritanius regarded his soldiers, a mixture of veterans from the Seventy Years War and young men conscripted when the Dark Army first appeared months earlier. They performed admirably.  
  
"What are our losses captain?" Moritanius asked an officer.  
  
"We have lost four and ten milord." The captain replied. He was a gray bearded, no nonsense officer that had served Moritanius for many years.  
  
"And our foes?" Moritanius asked.  
  
"They have lost five thousand charging our defenses, milord."  
  
Time had been bought for Vasserbunde, for this day, but how long would the fort continue to take losses of four hundred men. "Wounded?" Moritanius asked.  
  
"We have two hundred and five wounded, a third seriously, milord. Will the second army form in time?"  
  
"It must form in time, to stop these jackals." Moritanius replied, "We have even sent riders into Parmas, hoping they shall aid us."  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"So Johann," David asked as he was doing some work on the engines of the Destiny, "What is this war you and Halb talk about all the time?"  
  
"Twas fought for seven decades among the states of Memel." Johann replied, "Whole generations lived and died under bloodshed and tears."  
  
"Seventy YEARS!" David said, "What could possibly be so important that states start killing each other over?"  
  
"Twas when the head of the Council of Princes, Count Ottmar, the Count of Willendorf, was slain in his bed by an unknown assassin during a border dispute between the states of Nachtholm and Stahlberg." Johann replied, "The war slowly spread throughout the land, involving state after state. Coorhagen intervened on the side of Stahlberg when Nachtholm's armies marched brazenly across her borders. When soldiers of Coorhagen mistakenly attacked Avernus, she joined the cause of Nachtholm. One by one the principalities declared war and sided with either Nachtholm or Stahlberg. Countless lives were lost in the fighting."  
  
"Why was the Count of Willendorf so important?" David asked, as he tightened a couple bolts on the starboard engine housing.  
  
"Because the Count of Willendorf is the head of the Council of Princes, should he die or prove incompetent, Memel will once again erupt in violence as the princes struggle for supremacy over each other." Johann replied.  
  
"What about the treaty, this Peace of Willendorf Halb talked about?" David replied, "Surely it must've done something."  
  
"I know little of it, but I know that borders of the states are exactly the same as they were before. Stahlberg and Nachtholm's eastern border is still heavily disputed, but no fighting has broken out." Johann replied.  
  
"But isn't a treaty supposed to resolve these things?" David asked.  
  
"Nay, not always." Johann replied, as he helped David lift a filter from its mount, "The only reason any of the princes of the land were even willing to sit down and sign the Peace of Willendorf was that the fighting had left no corner of the land save for neutral Willendorf untouched."  
  
"Why didn't the Prince of Willendorf use his armies to impose a peace?" David said.  
  
"The Charter of the Council of Princes says something to the effect of Willendorf's armies are to defend her own lands and none other, for she is neutral ground." Johann said, "I can't tell how many people sought refuge in her borders."  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"We've got to follow that Heartless," Miranda said, gun drawn, "It might lead us to Timothy if we're lucky."  
  
"Wait, Miranda!" Nani shouted, pulling the extendable force prod from her belt, "Wait for us."  
  
"Rash action tis not the way to proceed, milady!" Halb shouted.  
  
Bonkers and Shirley followed close behind as they entered the Second District of Traverse Town. They saw a man running down the street, and all of a sudden he convulsed to the deck. As he did so a strange, glowing orb appeared over his body. A Shadow Heartless absorbed it and the man turned into a Heartless as well.  
  
Halb drew his sword and Bonkers produced a huge wooden mallet. Bonkers attacked the first Heartless, bashing it over the head as Halb leaped forward and swung the blade in an arc that struck the creature in the neck, knocking it to the ground. Because the sword's blade was reversed it did not kill the Heartless, it merely stunned the creature. Halb sheathed his sword and bowed his head. He didn't like to draw that sword, but only when he had to draw it would it come forth.  
  
A group of insect shaped toons stepped out from hiding, "Bravo, you all survived. Bonkers, Miranda, I see you've found yourselves some new friends."  
  
"What be thy intentions, strange one?" Halb replied, calmly.  
  
"Why, thine destruction, strange swordsman." Al Vermin said.  
  
"Thy might be willing to use force, but will thou reconsider thine options?" Halb replied.  
  
"I'd be careful, Al Vermin, if I was you." Miranda said, having seen Halb in action before.  
  
"Not if we, attack him at once!" Al Vermin said, "Attack henchmen!"  
  
About four insect looking henchmen ganged up on Halb while Al Vermin summoned several Heartless to keep Nani, Miranda, Shirley and Bonkers busy.  
  
"Let's see how well you fight human!" one of them mocked at Halb.  
  
"Thou hath but one chance to retreat from this fight." Halb replied.  
  
One henchman, a mosquito looking one, rushed at Halb with a lead pipe. Halb merely drew the reversed blade sword out a few centimeters and bashed him under the chin. He drew his sword fully and struck at each insect in turn, giving him between two and four whacks to knock him unconscious. Halb saw Al Vermin's eyes go wide with terror as he backed away and skittered over the rooftops of Traverse Town.  
  
Miranda had just shot two more Heartless down and was using her stun gun on those that got too close. Suddenly a Soldier jumped on her back and held on tight. Miranda felt her gun fall from her grasp and her taser as well. Nani zapped it with her force prod, sending the Heartless flying backward.  
  
Bonkers bashed a Soldier Heartless with his mallet and shouted "Fall Apart Rabbit!"  
  
Miranda had noted as Bonkers fought the Heartless he shouted the names of his friends with uncharacteristic anger. As the battle ended, Bonkers calmed down and said, "I can't believe I...."  
  
"Aunt Miranda!" came a shout.  
  
"Timothy? TIMOTHY!" Miranda shouted as she ran towards the source of the shout.  
  
"Miranda! Wait! It could be a trap!" Halb said, catching up to her.  
  
"That's far enough, civil servant. Or the boy gets it." Lilith Duprave said. She was standing in a second story window in a shop in the Second District. Blacknbloo held a gun to her nephew's head.  
  
Miranda and Halb stopped moving. Lilith Duprave was too far to shoot with her service revolver. If only Johann had tagged along, he could have bagged Duprave easily with either the arquebus or the jaeger rifle that Dr. Joukiba had built for him. She could only watch, helpless, as Lilith Duprave and her Austrian henchman took her nephew away.  
  
"Aunt Miranda!!! Mmmph!" the boy shouted as Blacknbloo clamped a hand over his mouth.  
  
Suddenly the ground opened up underneath Miranda and Halb. The pair disappeared through a hidden Toon Hole that had been cleverly triggered by a remote controlled device Lilith Duprave had hidden on her person.  
  
"Miranda! Halb!" Nani shouted.  
  
"What's going on?" Shirley shouted, "I get attacked by these strange black creatures! My sister and my nephew go missing! And I'm stuck in this strange town? Will someone give me some information!"  
  
"Bonkers, help me take Shirley to the ship where David can explain all this." Nani said, "I'll go look for Halb. If we lose him, we may never close the Doors of Conflict. He must see Merlin."  
  
"How are you gonna find them?" Shirley asked.  
  
"One of two ways, the detection sensor I planted on each crewman's clothing before they left the Destiny. Or the old fashion way, look." Nani replied, as she pulled a small beeping hand held device from her belt.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"This swordsman of Parmas is becoming quite a bother." Al Vermin said. Several of his henchmen were sporting bruises and minor cuts and feeling various injuries about their persons. They were clustered in a dark room somewhere unknown.  
  
"What's the matter, Vermin, could your henchmen not handle one swordsman who's blade isn't even on the right side?" Lilith Duprave mocked.  
  
"Do not underestimate this Halb of Parmas, Duprave." Maleficent said, "Often the smallest thing overlooked can mean demise and destruction."  
  
"If he is truly the one to seal the Five Doors of Conflict, shouldn't we eliminate him?" Blacknbloo said.  
  
"Perhaps we may. But the prophesy says if we can turn him to our cause, Halb of Parmas will be a mighty ally who will swing the doors wide open." Maleficent said, "We only need study his weaknesses."  
  
"What weaknesses?" Bookworm complained, his arms were heavily bandaged from being whacked by Halb's reversed blade sword, "I'd be regrowing new arms if that blade wasn't reversed."  
  
"You can have this swordsman of Parmas, living or dead. I just want to destroy Miranda Wright. I want to kill her sister and nephew first before her eyes before I kill her for ruining my life." Lilith Duprave replied.  
  
"I want to settle a score with Bonkers." Al Vermin replied, "We'll help you defeat Halb of Parmas if you give us our dues."  
  
"In due time we shall discover the weakness of this great swordsman of Parmas." Maleficent said, calmly "In due time. Your rewards due shall be paid in full with interest once we destroy the Destiny and turn Parmas to our cause."  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
TBC (Will Miranda find her nephew? What adventures await our heroes? I've got some ideas but I'm open to suggestions.....just hit that review key and write a bit, OK.) 


	5. Finding Clues

Finding Clues  
  
Disclaimer: Same as before.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Miranda?" Halb said, "Art thou alright?"  
  
"I'm fine." Miranda replied as she stood up, "Where are we?"  
  
"Tis the Third District, if this sign behind you is any indication." Halb replied.  
  
Suddenly more Heartless appeared and Halb and Miranda began to defend themselves. They stood back to back, covering each other with overlapping 180 degree arcs for mutual protection. "Halb, wouldn't it be prudent to turn that sword's blade around now? I mean these creatures..."  
  
"Miranda, I am aware of that." Halb replied, "However I have sworn to never again take life as I did during the War. I must hold to that belief."  
  
Halb swung three more swings, each one being powerful enough to behead a Shadow Heartless, were the razor sharp edge facing him to be turned the other way. He knocked down three more creatures with single blows. Miranda was either shooting them with her gun or using the taser against them.  
  
Presently their foes were dispatched, "Halb, this Butcher of Steinchroe we heard about, who is he?" Miranda asked.  
  
"The forces of Steinchroe had raided many border towns in Parmas. They left much destruction and death in their wake in their desire for plunder. They burned what they could not carry off." Halb replied, "The Butcher of Steinchroe was a junior officer who permitted his company to take their full measure of vengeance upon the city of Steinchroe for their misdeed against Parmas."  
  
These Heartless were nothing but persistent. Every time Miranda and Halb moved a few more meters, more of these creatures appeared. No one creature was that hard to take down, between Miranda's skills with her police issue weapons and Halb's strange revered blade sword, they fell rather swiftly.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"So let me get this straight," Shirley asked David when they were aboard the Destiny, "You guys' world was destroyed by these Heartless things?"  
  
"Yes." David replied, "If Dr. Joukiba hadn't built this ship we would have been destroyed too."  
  
"And you," Shirley asked Johann, who was busily cleaning his arquebus and sharpening his small sword, "are from a world that's just recovering from seventy years of warfare?"  
  
"That's right." Johann said.  
  
"This is too weird, I mean you guys make toons look normal. No offense Bonkers." Shirley said.  
  
"None taken." Bonkers said, walking out of the ship with Nani to find Miranda and Halb.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"They can't have gotten far." Miranda said as they went down a large flight of stairs to a lower level.  
  
As they approached a door with a fire symbol on it, Miranda stood on one side, about to break it in when she heard a man shout. "What are you doing here?"  
  
Both Halb and Miranda turned to see a man with silver hair, holding a wicked looking blade. "Leon, who are these two?" Yuffie asked, as she came running.  
  
"They're not from around here, obviously." Leon said.  
  
"We mean thee no harm." Halb said, "I do not wish to fight you."  
  
"If you mean to harm Merlin, then you'll have to come through me." Leon said.  
  
"I wish not to fight thee, strange swordsman, but if fight thee I must, then fight I shall." Halb replied, slowly extracting his reversed blade sword.  
  
"Wait, Leon." Yuffie said, "He could be the one Aerith was talking to Cobra about last night. The one who was to see Merlin."  
  
"Then where's Cobra?" Leon said.  
  
"We were separated from the rest of our group by Lilith Duprave." Miranda replied.  
  
"Who is Lilith Duprave?" Leon asked.  
  
"She's a villain from my world with a grudge against me." Miranda replied, "I was the only witness at her trial for counterfeiting and got her put in jail. I was the only witness to actually live till the trial."  
  
"Your world, what is it like?" Yuffie asked.  
  
"It was a world where humans and toons coexisted, before the Heartless destroyed it." Miranda replied.  
  
"Toons, you mean like the strange, orange spotted thing?" Yuffie said, "I saw him leave Cobra Bubble's ship."  
  
"You are the one Cobra Bubbles talked of. Halb of Parmas, the swordsman with the reversed blade sword." Leon replied, lowering his weapon.  
  
"I apologize for these two." Aerith said, appearing from the shadows, "I am Aerith. And you must be Halb of Parmas."  
  
"I am he whom you speak, milady." Halb replied.  
  
"Please excuse our paranoia. For there have been attempts on Merlin's life before." Aerith said, "The prophesy says one with a reversed blade sword will seal the Doors of Conflict."  
  
"What are these Doors of Conflict?" Miranda asked.  
  
"And how am I to seal them?" Halb replied.  
  
"I believe I can answer that question, swordsman of Parmas." An elderly man replied. He wore a blue robe and carried a staff. His aura radiated a great power, a beacon of light in the darkness.  
  
"Merlin, this is Halb of Parmas, and Miranda Wright, two of the four new crew members aboard the Destiny." Aerith said.  
  
"Parmas, a noble city state if I've seen one. Known for its courageous footmen and great fighting spirit, its greatest soldiers fought bravely on the fields of the Seventy Years War, with few incidents to tarnish their honor." Merlin began, "Come inside my study and you shall learn what I will tell you."  
  
They did enter Merlin's Study and saw many an old and quaint volume, pieces of furniture, and various odds and ends associated with a magician's lifestyle. Miranda and Halb stepped inside and next to what appeared to be a pumpkin shaped carriage in miniature.  
  
Suddenly a woman, an elderly one, in blue appeared. "Bibbity Bobbity Boo. Miranda Wright, how are you?"  
  
"How'd you know my name?" Miranda asked.  
  
"And Halb of Parmas, I trust that you will serve well the side you choose?" The Fairy Godmother said, "I know both of you for Merlin told me of your arrival. I know of your worries for your nephew, Miranda. Fear not, they will keep the boy alive to entrap you. Halb will not forsake you in helping you find your nephew, for he is loyal to those he considers friends."  
  
Both of them were unsettled by the Fairy Godmother's uncanny knowledge of both of their lives to this point.  
  
"Worry not of her knowledge." Merlin began, "For she has been following your quest since its beginning."  
  
"What are these Five Doors of Conflict?" Halb asked.  
  
"The Five Doors of Conflict, through them the Heartless will gain the Heart of Darkness." Merlin began, "We believe that deep in the bowels of Kingdom Hearts lurks the Heart of Darkness, and should the Heartless find it, they will become more powerful than anyone has dared imagine."  
  
"Where do I, a simple wanderer, factor into this?" Halb asked.  
  
"The Prophesy of the Heart of Darkness says that a swordsman with a reversed blade shall seal the Doors of Conflict. All of them must be closed, for should the Heartless gain access to the Heart of Darkness, all shall be lost forever." Merlin replied.  
  
"The Prophesy also says that should the swordsman align himself with the evil, the Heartless will become all but unstoppable." Aerith said.  
  
'I've too much blood on my hands that I do.' Halb thought, 'The great Butcher of Steinchroe, I am. I hoped to atone for my sins, but it seems that the conflict cannot be escaped. I hope I need not reverse the blade of the sword.'  
  
"If he reverses the blade of his sword, will it be for the right purpose or not, we do not know." Merlin continued, "This is all I can tell you, aside from the clue to the world where you might find more information. The pages of the prophesy have been scattered over many worlds. For if Maleficent were to get her hands on the entire prophesy, the knowledge and the power she gains from it will make her unstoppable."  
  
Merlin swept his hand over a crystal ball, showing Maleficent's face to Miranda and Halb. "This is the face of your foe. Know it well. Maleficent is destroying worlds and sending the universe into chaos. No one knows why." Merlin said, "Return to your ship, for I believe the next page of the prophesy is located in a world of the future."  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Aboard the Destiny Miranda related her findings to Cobra Bubbles. "EPCOT Center, that's the only world that could possibly be the area of residence for the next page."  
  
"What is this EPCOT Center?" Halb asked.  
  
"It's a world that is an experimental community, devoted to environmentally friendly technology." Cobra Bubbles said, "What better place to hide it then there. We'd best get going now."  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"You read my mind." Miranda said, as she sat at the pilot's seat on the bridge. She and Halb had been trained to operate the ship, as had Bonkers and Johann. This was the first time she and Halb had been permitted to operate the ship after six days of ten days it would take to reach the world of EPCOT.  
  
Halb handed her a cup of coffee, "I noticed that you and others drink this substance when you work late."  
  
"It's called coffee Halb." Miranda began, "It's good for keeping you awake for awhile."  
  
Halb put a reassuring hand on Miranda's shoulder, "We will find Timothy, and know this, you have my help. I will aid your quest, Miranda."  
  
Miranda smiled tiredly at Halb, "Thank you. Why are you doing this, though? Just curiously?"  
  
"Milady, during the war I saw enough violence done unto children by soldiers of both sides." Halb replied, "The deeds of this Duprave are inexcusable."  
  
"I'm just worried about Timothy." Miranda said, "He's out there, in the hands of someone like Lilith Duprave and I'm here."  
  
"Searching for him." Halb said, "Our first queen of Parmas, Jorinda, did the same thing when her nephew was kidnapped by the forces of the bandit Almakara."  
  
"It's a long story?" Miranda asked.  
  
"Tis a ballad the minstrels of Parmas have sang for thousands of years." Halb replied, proudly, "The great swordsman of Parmas, the great Prince Joringal the First hacked his way through the forces of Almakara."  
  
"Sounds gruesome." Miranda remarked.  
  
"My point is, I will be at your side to help you rescue Timothy." Halb said, "My only reason for doing so is my loyalty to you as a friend and crewmate. For I know that were our roles reversed you would do the same."  
  
"I just want to see him right now, to know that he's OK." Miranda said, tears starting to form.  
  
"And you shall." Halb replied, inwardly he wondered why he had built a near instant rapport with Miranda after only knowing her a few days. They had been spending an awful lot of time together since the ship got underway. Shirley elected to stay in Traverse Town to compile a report on the Heartless, so other than Bonkers she only knew Halb.  
  
'I must understand what I feel about Miranda.' Halb began, 'For if I am falling for her, she may not be wanting to accept me, once knowing that the simple Halb of Parmas is truly the infamous Butcher of Steinchroe.'  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
TBC (Up next: More adventure and perhaps a Halb/Miranda pairing.) 


	6. Tomorrow's Child in Trouble

Tomorrow's Child in Trouble  
  
Disclaimer: Same as before. EPCOT Center isn't mine either.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
As Miranda got out of the shower and dressed for the next day, Nani asked, "So what's the story with you and Halb?"  
  
"We're just friends, if that's what you mean." Miranda replied.  
  
"Quite defensive there." Lilo quipped, as she rose from her own bed, below Nani's. The two alternated bunks every week.  
  
"I'm just saying we're just friends." Miranda replied, unsure what Nani's devilish grin was all about.  
  
"If you're not interested..." Nani said.  
  
"Aren't you with David now?" Miranda smiled, jokingly.  
  
"Yes, but I think a fling with our resident swashbuckler would be..." Nani said, mischievously.  
  
"Absolutely not! I'm not about to let you use him like that!" Miranda replied.  
  
"That sounded dangerously like, 'Stay away from my man, Nani', to me." Lilo replied.  
  
"What? No? I just don't wanna see him get hurt like that." Miranda said, "No friend would want to see a friend hurt that way."  
  
"Right." Nani smiled mysteriously, "You guys spend a lot of time together."  
  
"Aside from Bonkers, Halb's the only other person I really knew before coming aboard." Miranda replied, "I'm going to get some breakfast. You coming?"  
  
"Yeah, I'll be there in a minute." Nani replied, winking.  
  
As Miranda rolled her eyes and walked out the door, Nani, Lilo, and Stitch looked at each other. "She likes him." Lilo said.  
  
"Maybe." Nani replied, "Definitely. I refuse to believe that they're 'just friends' if you catch my drift."  
  
"Do you think Halb likes Miranda?" Lilo asks.  
  
"I don't know." Nani said, "But I think there's definitely a possibility. She's single, available and definitely a real beauty."  
  
"And Halb is single, available, a great guy, and definitely he's hot." Lilo replied.  
  
"LILO!" Nani remarked, "Whenever did you get such a dirty mind?"  
  
"Dirty mind?" Lilo said, "The way you talk about David sometimes..."  
  
"LILO!" Nani said and the two girls got into a pillow fight.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Very good Johann." Halb said, "Your swordsmanship is getting better, for do not be too reliant upon your firearms. Many a time I was able to hack my way through musketeers before they could reload. Their swordsmanship was shoddy enough that one or two slashes with my sword was enough to dispatch them."  
  
Johann had his short, broad sword out, and was sweating rather profusely. Halb had barely broken a sweat. "How art thou capable of such feats of swordsmanship? Many times the harquebusiers decimated swordsmen before they could close."  
  
"Johann, those 'swordsmen' were little more than conscripts from villages and townships of Ziegsturhl." Halb replied, "They were barely trained in the art of fencing."  
  
"Quite instructive, Halb." Cobra Bubbles said. He was carrying an ornate fencing sword, "Do you fancy a test of your skills? I was instructed by the same master swordsman of Parmas that trained you."  
  
"Master Guillon?" Halb asked.  
  
"The one and only." Cobra Bubbles said.  
  
"Thanks for bailing us out. We've been busting our butts, but Halb beat us every single time." David said, soaked in sweat.  
  
"Well, let's see if I can't challenge our great swordsman of Parmas." Cobra Bubbles said.  
  
"How did you meet Master Guillon?" Halb asked, "He disappeared shortly after I had reached but seventeen years."  
  
"Master Guillon vanished into the many worlds." Cobra Bubbles said, "He knew this day would come, and he was to keep a page of the prophesy safe. He knew that one of his students would piece together the puzzle and lock the doors. He also knew that another of his students was a traitor. Defend yourself, swordsman of Parmas."  
  
"Gladly." Halb replied, drawing his reversed blade sword, "First blow landed shall decide this match."  
  
Cobra Bubbles smiled, ever so slightly, as he drew out a fencing foil of his own and he thrust forward with the weapon. Halb parried the first probe with deceptive ease. What followed was a rapid succession of blows and counterblows. Both men moved with such speed and the clash of steel against steel drew everyone on the ship not piloting into the gymnasium. Only blurs of motion and flashes of steel were visible as the two swords clashed together.  
  
"You are dead, swordsman of Parmas." Cobra Bubbles said, touching Halb's collar, signifying the match was over, "I might add that Master Guillon taught me."  
  
"So I gathered. I have never once beaten Master Guillon in a match." Halb replied, "He was truly a master of swordsmanship."  
  
As Halb walked out of the gymnasium, Miranda fell into step beside him, "So who is this Master Guillon?"  
  
"As the child of the upper middle class I was required to master the art of swordsmanship. All gentlemen of Parmas are taught this at an early age. Master Guillon was one of the finest swordsmen of our land. It was an honor to be his student." Halb replied.  
  
"Then why did he choose your family? Couldn't wealthier noblemen have paid him?" Miranda asked, "I'm certain a prince would have."  
  
"'Tis a tradition of the master swordsmen that they pick their students. When he watched me play with the other children he claimed he saw potential in me." Halb replied.  
  
"And look at you now." Miranda smiled, as they took a table in the galley.  
  
"I greatly look forward to see Master Guillon once more. From him I learned all that I know." Halb replied.  
  
"I'm sure he'd be proud." Miranda said.  
  
"I can only hope." Halb replied.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"He likes her, I can tell." Nani said.  
  
"Excuse me, what?" David said.  
  
"David, don't you pay attention?" Nani asked.  
  
"I'm still trying to get over how in trying to fight Halb five times I lost within one or two strikes." David said, "Who likes who?"  
  
"Halb. I think, no wait, I know, he likes Miranda." Nani said.  
  
David had been sipping his coffee and suddenly he spewed it into the wall at his side, "WHAT?"  
  
"Not so loud, David!" Nani said.  
  
"What makes you think that, they're just really good friends." David said.  
  
"You idiot, anyone can see Halb obviously likes her." Nani said, "But you're MY idiot, and that's all that counts."  
  
"Hey, I'm not an idiot." David said, "But I can kinda see Miranda likes Halb."  
  
The two were on the other side of the galley, watching Miranda and Halb talking about something or other. Halb must've said something amusing because Miranda laughed suddenly, leaving Halb with a puzzled look on his face.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"I fail to see what is so funny." Halb had said, he looked puzzled as Miranda began to regain her composure.  
  
"Halb, sometimes the culture gap is hilarious." Miranda said, wiping a tear away.  
  
"I fail to see why cultural misunderstandings are funny. Wars have resulted from them." Halb said, "Because of a cultural misunderstanding hundreds of years ago, the states of Nachtholm and Stahlberg have often been at odds."  
  
"Halb, sometimes they're funny." Miranda said, "Especially if it involves you saying, 'The o-ring is busted' when you made a report about the engine."  
  
"The rubber o-ring on one of the cylinders on our starboard engine was busted." Halb said.  
  
"Halb, it's called a double meaning." Miranda said, "And you did it in the most serious voice too."  
  
"It was an engineering plant status report Cobra wanted." Halb replied, "So I gave it to him. David often says that when referring to that part of the engines."  
  
"It was funny to see Cobra actually smile when you said that." Miranda said.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Maleficent and several villains were clustered around a table. Prince Terroenza, the corpulent Prince of Steinchroe came forward, joining Lilith Duprave and Al Vermin. "So they are on their way to EPCOT?" Terroenza said.  
  
"Yes, their course has been plotted. The next page of the prophesy must be located there." Maleficent said.  
  
"And revenge will be mine." Lilith Duprave said, "Miranda Wright will die, after watching her nephew die as well."  
  
"In due time." Maleficent says, "But perhaps we can discover the weakness of this swordsman of Parmas, and turn him to our side."  
  
"So are our forces in place?" Lilith Duprave asked.  
  
"Yes, they are." Terroenza began, "I have summoned more legions of the Dark Army away from besieging Vasserbunde."  
  
"Be careful, the Heartless consume the careless." Maleficent cautioned.  
  
"Pagh, consume the careless, they have not consumed me." Terroenza remarked.  
  
"Beware of overusing their power. Surely you can find fighters amongst your own henchmen." Maleficent said.  
  
"The forces of Steinchroe are willing, but it will take time to run levees through our territory and train our forces for battle." Terroenza replied, inwardly he smiled, the Heartless would waste drone after drone on the defenses of Vasserbunde and other states he would attack, thinking that he was giving them the honor of going first. The vanguard of Steinchroes troops would commit the final rout. Because of the Heartless, Steinchroe would gain prominence among the states of the land of Memel.  
  
Maleficent said to Lilith Duprave and Al Vermin, "Are your henchmen in place?"  
  
Both of them nodded, "So far the Heartless, lead by our henchmen have taken over almost a third of EPCOT."  
  
"Good, if you need more men, use your own henchmen, sparingly." Maleficent said.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"So what do you say?" Nani said. She, David, Lilo, Stitch, Bonkers, and Johann were clustered in the room she, Lilo and Miranda shared.  
  
"To what?" David asked. Jumba Joukiba and Pleaky were taking turns watching for Halb, Miranda or Cobra.  
  
"Setting Miranda and Halb on a blind date, silly." Nani said.  
  
"I do notice Halb does have some sort of affection for her." Johann quipped.  
  
"And I can see Miranda has some sort of affection for Halb." Bonkers interjected.  
  
"So what's the plan?" David asked.  
  
"I don't know yet." Nani replied, "I'm working on it. But EPCOT Center has some real nice places to go out and eat."  
  
"I know, remember our last date there, Nani?" David replied.  
  
"David, you're a genius..." Nani replied, "Remember, not one word to either of them. Or Operation Blind Date is ruined."  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
TBC 


	7. Meeting Master Guillon

Meeting Master Guillon  
  
Disclaimer: Same as before.  
  
Standing before the great geosphere that formed the nucleus of EPCOT Center, a swordsman stood mute. He wore more colorful garb than Halb's earthen colored garments, suggestive of a noble house of the Court of Parmas.  
  
"Stop there, swordsman." The stranger said, to the man walking amidst the group of people and the strange creatures accompanying them.  
  
"Who art thou?" Halb asked.  
  
"I am Rezeen of Parmas, state thou business."  
  
"I am Halb of Parmas, it is Master Guillon whom we seek." Halb said.  
  
"Master Guillon has many foes, how canst I be certain thou doth not seek to do him harm." Rezeen said.  
  
Johann cocked his arquebus silently and Halb motioned him to stop with one hand. "Rezeen, I am Master Guillon's student." Halb said.  
  
"Prove it." Rezeen said, drawing an ornate rapier, decorated with the sigil of the House of Moebius, "Defend thyself."  
  
"Son of Moebius," Halb said, "I shall do so."  
  
Halb slowly and calmly extracted his own reversed blade sword. "Surely thou canst be Guillon's student. Thy blade tis reversed."  
  
"I reversed this blade for I vowed I shall never take life again." Halb replied, "Not even yours."  
  
"Defend thyself!" Rezeen said.  
  
Halb blocked several of Rezeen's attacks, which appeared to move slowly but arrived faster than anticipated. The clash of steel against steel resounded as the two swordsmen dueled against one another. Halb and Rezeen were launching blow and counterblow, neither of them landing.  
  
"Thou art skilled, truly." Rezeen said as their locked swords again, Halb began to spin the blade of his weapon, locked against Rezeen's with so much force it sent the young man's sword to the ground.  
  
"Enough! 'Twas only a test, Halb." An older voice sounded. Into the light stepped an old man, his stature bent from age, a sword at his belt. He may have been aged, but he still had the strength and skill to use the blade at his side.  
  
"Thou art truly a student of Master Guillon, Halb son of Manni." Rezeen said.  
  
"How doth thou know my father?" Halb asked.  
  
"I know of him well, for Master Guillon has told me thrice again how the eldest son of Manni was his greatest pupil." Rezeen replied.  
  
"The prophesy I bring is one that is of great importance, Halb." Master Guillon said, "The riddle you must solve. Within the great sphere, after crossing sea and land not yet imagined, after following a distant horizon, regaling the wonders of life, seeing the worlds of energy and traveling distant lands lies the door thou seeks. The door of conflict shall be locked by thee, swordsman of Parmas."  
  
"I shall not fail, Master Guillon." Halb replied.  
  
"I hope for the sake of worlds you do not, for if the Heartless open the doors they will have access to a great and terrible power." Guillon said.  
  
"I only wish that we could have met under less forbidding circumstances." Halb replied.  
  
"I always have regarded you as a son, Halb." Guillon said.  
  
"And you as thou you were a father, Guillon." Halb said, dropping to one knee before his master in a gesture of homage.  
  
"Rise and continue your quest, great swordsman of Parmas." Guillon said.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Cobra Bubbles said, "The great sphere could only be the Spaceship Earth pavilion. Johann, David, you two and I will search for the door. Miranda, Bonkers, and Halb, search the Future World area, Nani, you and Dr. Joukiba watch the ship with Pleaky."  
  
"I could be of better help with Halb and the others..." Nani protested.  
  
"That is true, but Lilo and Stitch need to be watched." Cobra replied, "Johann, can you cover the entrance Spaceship Earth from the rooftops. If anything even resembling a Heartless comes too close, shoot it."  
  
"Yes, but I require someone to help me reload my weapons." Johann replied, "In order to fire faster."  
  
"Nani, that's your job. Stay with Johann." Cobra Bubbles said, "Stay in touch on the radios."  
  
The groups split off on their respective search teams. Johann and Nani climbed to the roofs of the smaller buildings surrounding Spaceship Earth and Innoventions Plaza pavilions. Johann had his arquebus in his hands, which could be reloaded faster but was not as accurate as the jaeger rifle across his back. The latter tool was a short barreled weapon with an octagonal barrel that fired a .75 of an inch projectile. It was more accurate but slower to reload. Nani had been familiarized with the latter gun because Dr. Joukiba and Pleaky helped make it for Johann. He also had his sword and dagger and Nani had her force prod and karate skills.  
  
Halb, Miranda and Bonkers were starting their search at the Living Seas pavilion. Cobra and David were searching the Spaceship Earth area for any signs of the Heartless. The search began to encounter Heartless almost as soon as it began.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"The Living Seas, sounds like a logical place to start." Miranda began, "Master Guillon did say that we would cross land and sea not yet imagined."  
  
"Then why do we have to go across all those places if its in the Spaceship Earth sphere?" Bonkers asked.  
  
"I know not why, but perhaps within lies the answers we seek." Halb replied, opening the door and letting Bonkers and Miranda in, "Milady."  
  
"Halb, you're too kind." Miranda replied.  
  
As they entered the large round room, the door closed and locked behind them. On the large, wrap around screen surrounding them they saw a logo that read, "Seabase Alpha Briefing Room, and 4:00."  
  
"Four minutes until the door opens." Miranda said, "I wonder if we can..."  
  
As she crossed the room a band of Heartless began to appear. "I thought this was too good to be true." Bonkers said, pulling out a water squirting bottle and a swordfish from his shirt.  
  
"Again these mysterious things attack." Halb remarked, and drew, slowly, his reversed blade sword.  
  
Miranda had her gun out and shot the first Heartless that she saw. Bonkers was fighting using his water squirter and his swordfish. Halb was dispatching Heartless cleanly, knocking them out with one or two swings of his reversed blade sword. He clearly did not kill any of the Heartless he struck, for their antennae still twitched and moved, as they lay where they fell. However, they weren't liable to get up anytime soon.  
  
"Miranda! Watch out!" Halb shouted. One of Al Vermin's henchmen, a mosquito, came out of the darkness about to run her thru with a sword.  
  
Halb cleared the distance between himself and Miranda in an instant. He reversed the dial on his sword so the sharp edge now faced outward, towards the henchman. With a swing he slashed the sword of the henchman in half. Using the hilt of the sword, Halb knocked the henchman out. He reversed the dial again, so the cutting edge faced him once more.  
  
"Traitors amongst the land of Memel exist. This blade is of the manufacture of Steinchroe." Halb said, "Prince Terroenza has sided with the Heartless."  
  
"Halb, we've got bigger problems than your world's seventy year long war." Miranda remarked, ducking as a Large Body swung a fist towards her.  
  
"No longer!" Halb shouted, charging the creature and swinging his reversed blade sword, breaking the creature's right arm.  
  
The Large Body bellowed in pain as Halb attacked it's other arm. "Thy shall be incapable of further action, large one. Leave us at peace, I implore thee."  
  
"Halb! The door!" Miranda shouted. The trio ran inside, fighting through more Heartless to get through.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Uh, Johann, we've got trouble." Nani said, as several Heartless began to head straight for Spaceship Earth.  
  
Johann fired his first shot, drilling a Soldier Heartless thru the middle of it's face. He handed the jaeger rifle to Nani who began to reload it. Johann then raised his arquebus and fired a second shot, killing a second Heartless. Nani handed him his jaeger rifle and Johann fired again, killing a third Heartless.  
  
"Cobra, you've got company!" Nani said, over her radio.  
  
"Acknowledged," Cobra replied, "Let Miranda, Halb and Bonkers know there's some kind of strange puzzle lock in Spaceship Earth. There's a riddle on it that reads: 'From the depths of the sea, one part of the lock shall be found.' I presumed it has something to do with Master Guillon's riddle."  
  
"What does it look like?" Nani asked, as she reloaded Johann's arquebus and flinched when Johann fired his jaeger rifle over her head, sending an Air Soldier plummeting towards EPCOT's ground with a hole blown thru it's head.  
  
"It's shaped like a wave." Cobra said.  
  
Nani relayed the message as Johann was fighting off a Shadow Heartless with his short, broad bladed sword. He plunged his blade deep into the creature's midsection, sending a jet of black blood squirting outward.  
  
"We've got to hold this approach, otherwise the others are in big trouble." Nani said, "Johann, if we can kill enough of them Cobra and the others won't have as many Heartless to worry about."  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Well this is interesting." Miranda said, "We're looking for a wave shaped crest."  
  
"Take a look at this." Bonkers said.  
  
Halb was closest to the engraved plaque, "In my depths, what ye seeks shall be found."  
  
"Sounds simple enough." Miranda replied, "All we have to do is get through the hydrolators and find the crest."  
  
Miranda was speaking about the movie that was playing in the Living Seas movie theater. "Tis that invention thy spoke of earlier, the movable picture." Halb said.  
  
"It's called a movie, actually, Halb, but yeah." Miranda replied.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Johann, Nani. Good job on reducing the number of Heartless that come through here. We're managing them alright." Cobra said as he beat up another Heartless with his force prod.  
  
David was doing the same thing with his own force prod, fighting off a Soldier Heartless. Each time the Heartless attacked in waves. Each time they'd lose approximately half or more of their number before coming anywhere near Spaceship Earth thanks to Johann's marksmanship.  
  
"They're still too many Heartless." David said, "We need some reinforcements."  
  
He was wrestling with a Shadow Heartless as he spoke and barely managed to bash it's head against some rocks to kill it. Cobra used his massive frame to block the entrance temporarily as they fought off the Heartless that came in from the ride. They were at the end of the attraction, where the mysterious door was located.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
As they left they Hydrolators for the Seacabs, Miranda, Halb and Bonkers noticed that several Heartless were on their tails. "These things never give up, do they?" Miranda said.  
  
"It would appear that they do not." Halb replied, drawing out the reversed blade sword. As the seacabs moved slowly through the Coral Reef area, Halb fought off a pair of Bandit Heartless with his reversed blade sword.  
  
Bonkers used his mallet on a third Bandit and Miranda aimed her gun at a fourth. "No! Don't shoot, you'll flood this area!" a voice shouted.  
  
An older man with gray hair and wearing a futuristic blue jumpsuit was hiding in the seacab. "Who are you?" Miranda asked.  
  
"Commander Fulton, Seabase Alpha."  
  
"Officer Miranda Wright, LAPD."  
  
"We'll have more time for introductions later, but first I have something very important to tell you three in my office." Fulton said as they entered Seabase Alpha.  
  
As they entered the place, they found a war zone in full swing. Several blue uniformed guards of Seabase Alpha were dueling with the Heartless, using laser weapons of some sort. "Come this way." Fulton said, leading them into an office.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
TBC 


	8. Seabase Alpha

Seabase Alpha  
  
Disclaimer: Same as before. Look at the website intercot.com for various EPCOT locations.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Commander Fulton's office overlooked the whole of Seabase Alpha through a large plexiglass window. The area called Ops was the place's nerve center. Through the window they could see security teams duking it out with the Heartless all over the Seabase.  
  
"Where is the crest?" Miranda asked.  
  
"That's the problem, we don't know. When the Heartless first appeared we all elected a representative to hide the crests throughout our world. The crest of the wave is hidden here on Seabase Alpha but we don't know where it is." Fulton began.  
  
"Security to Commander Fulton." Came the call over his communication device.  
  
"Go ahead, Mr. Hawkwood." Fulton began.  
  
"We have reports of Heartless troops in the Concourse, the Seacab Bay and the Undersea Exploration Module. We seem to have contained them for now but I can't guarantee it will stay that way." Hawkwood replied.  
  
"Come, we'd best find that crest before the Heartless do." Miranda said.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Johann fired his arquebus again, shattering the middle of the face of a Large Body Heartless, adding to the pile of dead lining the way to Spaceship Earth. Nani handed him his jaeger rifle and Johann took aim, firing off another shot, blasting an Air Soldier out of the air in mid- flight.  
  
"Artillery!" Nani shouted and both of them vacated the roof top they were on for another roof top. Nani was reloading Johann's arquebus as they ran and she handed him the weapon.  
  
Johann dropped to one knee and took aim again, squeezing off another well aimed shot, sending a Shadow Heartless flipping end over end. Nani handed him the jaeger rifle again, and Johann took a running Bandit with a shot through the head.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Cobra Bubbles knocked down another Shadow Heartless with a two handed bash. He flung another one into the sword of a Bandit about to run David through.  
  
"Johann, can you keep reducing their numbers?" Cobra asked.  
  
"I'll try but I can only fire so quickly and have only so much ammunition." Johann replied, over the radio link.  
  
"I'll see if I can't get the various pavilions to muster their militias to help you out." Cobra said.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"I'm sorry, Cobra." Hawkwood said, "I can't spare a man, the Heartless are coming into Seabase Alpha. They've already taken over the surface levels and entry hydrolators."  
  
"I've got three of my crew in your area looking for the crest. Once they find it, can you spare a few men to help my team?" Cobra said.  
  
"I can." Hawkwood said, "Once your guys get the crest the Heartless will go after them instead. I'll send a squad or two to escort them."  
  
Hawkwood saw three Bandits jump a trio of the brown uniformed militamen. They used their swords to stab and cleave, turning the water of the tide pool where they were defending red with blood. The bandits raced out of the Ocean Ecosystems area only to be ambushed by a pair of other militiamen hiding behind a support column. Three quickly fired blasts of laser fire killed them quickly.  
  
Hawkwood fired his own laser pistol, drilling a Shadow Heartless through the chest. "Mr. Hawkwood, stay with Miranda, Bonkers and Halb, take them around the base." Fulton ordered.  
  
"Yes sir." Hawkwood replied, and turning towards Halb he said, "You might wanna draw that sword."  
  
Halb nodded slowly and drew the reversed blade sword from his hip. As he did, a Bandit came, slashing it's sword at Miranda. There was no way she could have dodged it or shot it and she closed her eyes expecting to feel the razor sharp metal slicing through her flesh. Instead she heard a clang as Halb's sword intercepted it. With another swing, he struck the creature in the neck, knocking it out.  
  
Another militiaman shot a Soldier Heartless dead from the railing of Level 2 with his laser pistol and fired at a Musketeer Heartless, only to miss and have the creature fire it's weapon, the projectile drilling a hole through his chest. The militiaman was hit with so much force that he fell over the backwards over the railing. The Musketeer Heartless that killed him was blown away by another laser from a second militiaman's laser rifle.  
  
"Where could it possibly be?" Bonkers asked.  
  
"Evidently not where the Heartless control otherwise they'd have left already." Miranda concluded.  
  
"Computer, what areas has the heaviest fighting occurred since the Heartless attacked the base?" Hawkwood asked.  
  
"Modules 1A, 1B, and 2B have been experiencing the heaviest fighting." The computer replied.  
  
"The Marine Mammal areas?" Hawkwood replied.  
  
Halb took the lead, his reversed blade sword drawn and ready to use. Bonkers and Miranda followed him, with Miranda behind him. To their left they watched a squad of militiamen ambush a band of Heartless, blasts of laser fire killing them before they got anywhere near them.  
  
Hawkwood smiled proudly at the way his security force conducted itself. They fought like the trained professionals they were. Miranda ducked as a sword was swung towards her throat. Halb swung his reversed blade sword into the Bandit's throat.  
  
"Status report." Hawkwood called over his comm device.  
  
"Status report?" Fulton's voice came.  
  
"Marine Mammal areas are under heavy attack. They've taken over the hydrolator shaft between the first and second levels."  
  
"Try to cut of their reinforcements." Hawkwood replied, "Concentrate fire on the shaft doors."  
  
As the group made their way upstairs they witnessed a squad of militiamen ambushing a group of Shadow Heartless that were making their way towards the Manatee viewing area. Another group of Soldier Heartless hit another ambush by another militia squad before they got anywhere near the Dolphin tank.  
  
"We have Heartless at the Seacab bays, entrance hydrolators, and now Module 1A has been overrun. The Diver Lockout chamber's holding. And Level 2 has experienced some Heartless incursion. We've managed, for the most part to keep them on the lower level, and we've got a lot of them trying to break into the Marine Mammal zone on Level 2, especially around the Dolphin Research Area." Hawkwood reported, blasting three Heartless down with his laser pistol as he did.  
  
"HALB!" Bonkers shouted, throwing himself between a Shadow Heartless and his friend.  
  
Halb spun around and swiftly the reversed blade sword flashed and glistened bright steel. The blade struck the Heartless solidly in the side of the head, sending it falling to the ground.  
  
A gunshot sounded and Halb saw Miranda had just killed another Bandit that would have run him through. Halb had heard it coming and would have faced it with a split second to spare, but it felt good to have someone watching his back.  
  
"You don't suppose the crest is in the Marine Mammal area?" Miranda asked, "Because if the Heartless really wanted to take this place they'd have attacked the command center. But other than a few sporadic assaults they haven't. They've just been ransacking places all around the Seabase."  
  
"It would seem that capturing this base is not their objective, they only want the Crest." Halb replied, "Who hid the crest Hawkwood?"  
  
Hawkwood killed another Heartless with a laser blast, and answered, "The crest was hidden here, we don't know where, by the Dreamfinder. When the Heartless appeared Master Guillon warned us that we must hide the crests. Only Dreamfinder knows where they are."  
  
"Halb, Bonkers, Hawkwood and I will cover you, do you think you can get to that Marine Mammal area?" Miranda asked.  
  
"I can." Halb replied.  
  
Miranda looked at him, concern etching her features, "Be careful."  
  
"I shalt, milady." Halb replied and rushed for the Dolphin Research Area.  
  
"Team Alpha, hold your fire, we've got a friendly coming your way." Hawkwood said, "Teams Bravo and Charlie, provide covering fire, he's gonna need it."  
  
Miranda saw she had to have been right because over a dozen Heartless were chasing Halb towards the Dolphin Research Area. With her, Bonkers, Hawkwood and two security teams covering him, the Heartless didn't make it anywhere near him. But more Heartless appeared to take their place.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Vasserbunde's Northern Bastion was still holding out, despite constant assaults from the Heartless. Princess Arial still retained command of Vasserbunde's forces. The Western and Eastern bastions needed more men, the Southern experienced no attacks at all, so she diverted numbers of troops from both garrisons to reinforce the others, sending reserves from the nearby towns to man the ramparts of the Southern Bastion.  
  
"Arial..." Nupraptor moaned from his bed.  
  
"Shh, rest my love, Vasserbunde still remains secure. The riders have brought forth news that the four bastions are still holding. Sir Ferguson remains a capable advisor..." Arial replied.  
  
"Milady," Melante, one of Arial's ladies in waiting, said, "Sir Ferguson to see you."  
  
Sir Ferguson walked forth. He was an older, silver haired gentleman with a thin beard and mustache of the same color. He wore a rapier around his belt and a breastplate as well as leather gauntlets, "Milady, you've transferred five hundred men under the Earl of Wallenstein from the Southern Bastion. I cannot approve this."  
  
Coolly, Arial said, "I have thought of this, and am sending another regiment from the towns of Wachter and Vilstibruck to reinforce it."  
  
"They are untested troops, milady," Ferguson protested, "The five hundred men of Wallenstein are veteran combat troops, they should defend our Southern flank."  
  
"They are much more needed in the Eastern Bastion, they lost still more as of last night." Arial replied.  
  
"I beg you leave, milady." Ferguson said, as he left.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Have your forces found the door yet?" Maleficent asked Al Vermin and Lilith Duprave.  
  
"We still need to open the door; however we've located it at Spaceship Earth." Lilith replied.  
  
"Why can't you open it?" Maleficent asked.  
  
"We have to find the crests to open it, but they've been hidden. Plus Cobra Bubbles and his crew are already in EPCOT..." Al Vermin reported.  
  
"I will summon more Heartless." Lilith said, "It will make the task easier. The militias of the various EPCOT jurisdictions are proving more difficult than expected."  
  
"Be wary of using the Heartless, for they have their own agenda as well." Maleficent warned.  
  
"The swordsman of Parmas is in Seabase Alpha." Terroenza said, from the crystal ball, "It seems he has located the first crest. I have summoned more Heartless to stop him."  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"They really seem to want this area." A security woman said, clutching her rifle close to her.  
  
"They know the crest is here." Halb replied, "I shall retrieve it and rid thee of the problems plaguing your base. Canst thou hold thy position?"  
  
"We'll die trying." The woman replied, "Alright, Clancy, Hatfield, go cover our buddy here."  
  
"Yes ma'am." Both men replied, running with Halb to the access area for the Dolphin Research tank.  
  
Suddenly another Bandit appeared and Halb dueled with it, his sword striking the creature's weapon when Hatfield blasted it in the chest.  
  
"Go get the crest, we'll cover you." Hatfield replied, dropping to one knee, shooting the occasional Heartless that managed to get past the security team.  
  
Halb splashed the water with his hand, he was impressed at the bravery of Seabase Alpha's security force against such a terrifying foe as the Heartless. As if sensing his intentions a dolphin surfaced in front of Halb.  
  
Halb gently touched the side of the creature's head, "Be calm, gentle creature of the seas, for the menace to your world will be gone soon."  
  
The dolphin nodded its head and dived deeply into the tank. Halb was about to jump into the water and swim to the bottom when the dolphin surfaced with the crest. Halb stuffed the crest into a pocket in his shirt and ran straight for Miranda, Bonkers and Hawkwood.  
  
"I have the crest!" Halb shouted.  
  
"Team Echo, take flanking positions, escort us to the exit hydrolator." Hawkwood ordered.  
  
A security team of ten men took positions of escort around the four people, trading shots with Heartless boarding parties. As they ran towards the exit Hydrolator, a pair of Musketeer Heartless and a Bandit attacked and killed a militiaman. As they charged the group heading for safety, they were ambushed by two more militiamen.  
  
Halb, Miranda and Bonkers got into the hydrolator and felt it rise to the surface. As they left, the Heartless left Seabase Alpha, having no more reason to be fighting down there.  
  
"Hawkwood to Fulton, no more Heartless troops on the base. I'll have a damage assessment momentarily."  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
TBC 


	9. Living With the Land

Living with the Land  
  
Disclaimer: Same as before.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Johann fired another shot from his jaeger rifle, splitting the skull of another Shadow Heartless apart. "There's only two of us, I can't possibly hold them all off. My ammunition's running low."  
  
"I've contacted Seabase Alpha, they should be dispatching two teams of militia to your area." Cobra Bubbles said over the radio.  
  
An Artillery Heartless fired again and obliterated part of the roof around Johann. Johann aimed his arquebus at it and squeezed the trigger, blowing a hole through the head of the creature. By now many piles of Heartless lay killed around Spaceship Earth thanks to Johann's marksmanship.  
  
Suddenly he saw flashes of laser fire off to his right. Smiling, though he recognized not the laser weapon, he knew they were friendly forces when they blasted through the ranks of the Heartless.  
  
He stopped smiling when he saw a group of Heartless break off in pursuit of Halb, Miranda and Bonkers.  
  
"Cobra, we've got a big group chasing Miranda and the others." Nani said over the radio link.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
As Miranda, Halb, and Bonkers ran on, pursued by Heartless they ran inside the Land pavilion. As they ran inside a spherical projectile flew inches away from Miranda's face, halting her in her tracks. Halb extracted his reversed blade sword as another projectile that would have struck Miranda solidly in the head flew towards her. Halb's blade intercepted the projectile sending it flying back the way it came.  
  
A yellow, monkey like Heartless was knocked down. "How many kinds of these things are there?" Miranda asked.  
  
"I am uncertain, milady." Halb replied, "There appear to be infinite varieties of them, but we'd best search out the crest before the Heartless find them."  
  
"HELP!" Bonkers shouted. As they turned, two blue monkey-like Heartless were on top of him.  
  
Suddenly one of the two Powerwilds fell to the ground after the crack of a rifle. Halb saw out of the corner of his eye a man carrying a jaeger rifle, with its .75" projectile bore, running from the Circle of Life Theater. He was too far to pursue, but Halb noticed the scarred face of the man. He shouted, "Fear not fair people of Tilst, ye shalt be avenged..."  
  
"Halb?" Miranda asked. The normally battle toughened and taciturn swordsman was staring off into space. She gently put an arm on his shoulder and he whirled to face her, sword in hand.  
  
"Whoa Halb! It's Miranda, remember..."  
  
"I apologize, milady. It is just that the name of Tilst brings up memories best not remembered nor discussed..." Halb replied.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Tilst was the estate of a nobleman of Steinchroe, who had left his sprawling estate to fight the invading armies of Vasserbunde and Parmas. Halb marched at the head of his twenty troops, a small raiding party sent to find out what happened to a smaller scouting unit.  
  
As they marched they came upon a grisly sight. A soldier from their camp lay spread eagled upon the ground, his stomach split open, his jaw opening and closing spastically. Two more dismembered corpses lay nearby.  
  
"Milord, tis a common fate of soldiers separated from their units. These peasants are murderous..." A harquebusier said.  
  
"Tis true," Halb said, eyes narrowing, "You two follow me. The remainder of you, remain where you are. When you hear fighting advance and show no quarter."  
  
As Halb and two other soldiers advanced a band of about sixteen peasants leapt from hiding. Halb drew his sword, and the harquebusier dropped to one knee and fired his weapon, killing a charging peasant armed with a scythe.  
  
The peasants fell upon the third soldier with clubs and tools but before they could carve apart what they thought easy prey more shots sounded. A shot rang out, hitting another of Halb's men in the stomach, wounding him. The soldiers of Halb's unit, far from being cowed by the horrific murder of three of their comrades, were out for blood.  
  
Soon the sounds of fighting gave way to screams and cries for mercy. Of the sixteen peasant attackers, eleven lay killed, many with multiple stab and slash wounds on their bodies. Five bloodied and wounded prisoners remained. Halb raised a hand to stop the killing.  
  
"What village doth thou hail from?" Halb asked a peasant, the one who'd fired the jaeger rifle at one of his men, who would almost certainly die because of the stomach wound.  
  
The peasant spit into his face, only to be kicked in the groin by on of Halb's soldiers. "Thou hath spirit, peasant, but doth thou have a name?"  
  
"Thine soldiers pillaged my estate, Parmas," the peasant said, "My mother and father and grandfather killed by the soldiers of your land. I, Narcissco of Tilst, have sworn revenge against the forces of Parmas."  
  
"Your days of vengeance are ended, Narcissco, for today you shall die." Halb said, laconically, "Remove their shoes."  
  
Barefoot, the five captured peasants were force marched five miles to the village of Tilst where Halb stood upon a cart, saying, "Hear ye, village of Tilst. Mere moments ago men from thy settlement savagely murdered three soldiers of Parmas and wounded two others, one of whom shall die soon from his wounds."  
  
As he spoke, five nooses were prepared on the branches of a stately old oak tree. He tossed the jaeger rifle into the road as he spoke, "We have been reasonable with what we took. We left your village intact after our initial siege. We left a reasonable amount of food in stores. And you repay us with cowardly butchery?" Halb declared, his voice rising, "I was not angry since entering Steinchroe's border until THIS INSTANT!"  
  
"Soldier of Parmas, thy forces have been reasonable..." A boy of fourteen years said, "But canst thou spare my brother, Narcissco. He is but all I have in this world."  
  
"Nay, boy, I cannot do so. For your brother orchestrated this assault against soldiers of Parmas and must repay their blood with his own!" Halb replied.  
  
"Morerro!" Narciscco shouted, through cracked and bloodied teeth thanks to the rough handling of the soldiers of Parmas, "Leave now, begone child..."  
  
"Brother, I shall take up arms for you! Revenge!" Morerro shouted and fired his brother's jaeger rifle which Halb had cast into the road and heard only a click.  
  
"Foolish boy!" a soldier said, "Would you think our lord would be foolish to give you a loaded weapon."  
  
The soldier drew a short bladed and slashed downward, slicing open the right cheek of Morerro's face. Haken, a thick bodied man, and a foul tempered one as well, a veteran of many campaigns, raised his sword again.  
  
"Stay thy sword Haken!" Halb ordered sharply, "Let this boy see what happens to those who perform cowardly acts.  
  
Halb nodded and the table that was used as support for the five men and boys was pulled away. Narcissco and his four comrades jerked and twitched as though dancing a traditional peasant dance as they hung with ropes around their necks...  
  
Two years later, after the final clash of the Seventy Years War, the Butcher of Steinchroe, the fierce warrior reversed his sword. He became simply Halb of Parmas, disappeared into the mists of history, to appear years later having taken a vow to never take life again.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Tilst." Halb replied, as if playing a recording of his own buried memories, "Were any town to truly convey the destruction of the war, Tilst did. On the road to Ziegsturhl, this town had suffered the indignities of marauding armies for the entirety of war. She changed hands five times in as many years, as the forces of Parmas and Steinchroe fought over her bridge across the Westerwald River."  
  
"What did he mean when he said people of Tilst?" Miranda asked.  
  
"The armies that ran roughshod over Tilst did so violently. She wound up supplying recruits to one army or the other, whichever seemed to have the upper hand." Halb replied, "When the armies of Parmas ravaged her it was in vengeance for the deeds her peasants had committed upon stragglers of our columns."  
  
"Halb..." Miranda began.  
  
"We reaped a terrible vengeance upon one such band." Halb said, "We ambushed one group, and their shouts of defiance turned to shouts of mercy as they begged to be spared of our blades. No quarter was given as we slew eleven of their band and hanged the five survivors so that their deaths would serve as an example."  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
TBC (Sorry this is so short, but I've been busy. How do you think Miranda should react to the final admission that Halb of Parmas is truly the infamous Butcher of Steinchroe...What kind of a person is she?) 


	10. Tilst Shall be Avenged

Tilst Shall be Avenged  
  
Disclaimer: Same as before. I was afflicted with a case of writer's block.  
  
FireStar - Thanks for that suggested chunk of dialogue...

* * *

Miranda stared for a moment at Halb. Finding it hard to believe that he could have stood by or  
worst participated in such a violent retribution she asked, "What happened after?"  
  
"We wreaked a terrible vengeance upon the people of Tilst." Halb replied, "We burned the  
city, looted buildings, and put many inhabitants to the sword. I only punished those directly  
responsible, but my actions that day lead our commanders to take an even more horrific revenge."  
  
As Halb spoke, he remembered the many peasants hanged, the screams of women being  
raped by the Dozarian mercenaries serving in two battalions under the Knight of Baden. He'd   
tried everything to convince the Duke of Parmas to spare the town of Tilst from the heavy hand  
of destruction the army of Parmas was wreaking upon her, but it was for the naught.  
  
Halb watched as the Duke hummed a musical tune as Tilst burned before them. His thin lips   
were curled back with an evil smile. His blonde hair was swept by the wind as he sat astride his   
mount.  
  
"Milord, 'twas not a necessary act to burn the city of Tilst…" Halb replied.  
  
"Halb?" Miranda asked, as they stood in the Land pavilion.  
  
"Yes." Halb replied, blinking his eyes, still smelling the smoke, still hearing the screams, still  
seeing an entire town of three thousand people ravaged and destroyed. His sword's blade was  
reversed because of this.  
  
But that was only the tip of the iceberg. After a long siege and bloody, the city of Steinchroe  
fell and the forces under the Duke of Parmas sacked the city. Two battalions of Dozarians   
followed by the rest of the army of Parmas went on a rampant looting spree. What followed  
were acts of brutality and barbarity. It was there where Halb earned the title the Butcher of   
Steinchroe, for a surrendering remnant was given no quarter by his men and by Halb himself.  
  
Miranda's eyes lit up with realization just as the pieces of the puzzle fell into place, "Halb... are   
you... You were the Butcher of Steinchroe!"  
  
"Aye, Milady." Halb replied, he did not bow his head, but stood with the same pride his noble   
breeding had conferred upon him, "Tis the reason for my reversed blade sword, and for my   
vow never again to take another life."  
  
Miranda was taken aback, "Halb... I don't know what to say."  
  
"You may wish that I depart from you, now that you know the truth about who I am." Halb   
said, solemnly, his eyes downcast, "You have only to say the word and I will be gone. I will not   
blame you, for I deserve no better."  
  
Miranda put her hands on her hips, pursing her lips, the expression on her face literally saying in   
gestures what she said next. "Halb, are you kidding? You saved my life less than ten minutes  
ago! From the start you have been as true and loyal a friend as I could ask for, and if you think  
I would disregard all of that because of what you did years ago, what I know you wish with all   
your heart you could undo, then you obviously don't know me very well."  
  
Halb replied, "I'm sorry I underestimated you, Miranda Wright of United States, for it seems  
that The Butcher of Steinchroe has finally found a true friend."  
  
Miranda walked closer to Halb, putting an arm around his shoulder, "I do not know the  
Butcher of Steinchroe, I know only Halb of Parmas, who has risked his life more times than I   
can count fighting the Heartless and defending the rest of the survivors, who has acted with  
honor and respect, but never backed down from a battle where innocent lives are in jeopardy,   
who has promised to help me resque my nephew, and who I now vow to aid and protect in any  
way I can untill I have won back our worlds or died trying."  
  
Halb replied, looking Miranda squarely in the eye, "As long as there is a breath in me, I will do   
everything in my power to keep that from happening."  
  
Miranda blushed, she'd never met a man as devoted as Halb. "Besides, both of our worlds are   
counting on us! We are in this together, no matter what."

* * *

"See Morerro," Lilith Duprave said, "The Butcher of Steinchroe delivered into your capable  
sights. Your brother shall be avenged…"  
  
"The people of Tilst shall be avenged…" Morerro said, his eyes taking the faraway look they   
always had.  
  
After the young huntsman had gone, Lilith said to Blacknbloo, "The moment he's killed Halb,  
kill the whiney little brat."

* * *

Two squads of Seabase Alpha's militia had taken positions around and inside Spaceship Earth.  
Johann and Nani were still on the Innovention's rooftops picking off Heartless that marched in  
large numbers towards Spaceship Earth.  
  
Johann fired his arquebus again, sending another Soldier Heartless flying backwards into the  
ranks of its fellows. The withering fire from the militiamen added more dead Heartless to the  
pile.  
  
"Why do they keep attacking this place?" Johann asked Nani, "No matter how many of them  
we kill, they keep returning."  
  
"It's because of that door, the Heartless sense that's the heart of the world. If it isn't locked, the  
Heartless will consume this world." Nani said, sadly, "Like they did with mine."  
  
Johann fired his jaeger rifle, splitting apart the skull of a Large Body Heartless. Still the  
Heartless kept coming, despite losing many of their number to the accurate fire of Johann's rifles  
or the militiamen's determined defense.

* * *

"Halb..." Miranda began to say, when suddenly bands of Heartless leaped from the various   
theaters on the upper level of the Land pavilion.  
  
Halb drew his reversed blade sword and began to engage three Bandits simultaneously. He   
parried the slashing blows of the first two, and then parried the second. The Bandits appeared   
to have Halb backed against a wall, his nobleman's sword drawn, facing no particular attacker.  
It appeared the Bandits were at an advantage, but Halb knew he was the one advantaged in this  
fight. He ducked under the swing of one Bandit then bashed the creature underneath the chin  
with the hilt of his sword. He spun around faster than anyone had seen a man move and struck  
the second on the side of the neck with the reversed blade of his sword. Had the blade been  
turned forward the Heartless would have been decapitated. Halb spun the other way, and   
struck the third Heartless on its sword arm with all his might. The creature dropped its sword,   
and staggered from the fight.  
  
Miranda felt a slight imbalance and before she knew it she tumbled down the stairs. She felt a  
sharp pain in her wrist. As she tried to stand she felt a blow to the back of her head and then   
blackness claimed her.

* * *

"Where's Miranda?" Bonkers asked.  
  
"Ask that of me later, for I've not seen her." Halb replied. He was currently fighting two Bandits with his reversed blade sword.  
  
"Wait, three guys just carried her off…" Bonkers remarked.  
  
"Watch out!" Halb shouted, he covered the two steps between himself and Bonkers with  
lightning speed. Halb swung his reversed blade sword right into the throat of a looming Soldier   
Heartless.  
  
"We've gotta go after her!" Bonkers said.  
  
"You needn't tell me twice…" Halb replied, following Bonkers down the stairs, whilst dueling  
with the two Bandits all the way down. Halb managed to knock down one of the Heartless with  
a blow to the stomach and head and barely managed to parry the next slash from the second   
Heartless. He ducked and swung the reversed blade sword into the stomach of the second  
Heartless.  
  
They could see Miranda being carried off into the Living With the Land attraction. Bonkers  
tapped his radio and said, "Cobra, we could use some help here, three guys just carried  
Miranda off."  
  
"We can't send help Bonkers, we're dealing with enough Heartless around Spaceship Earth as  
is." Cobra replied.  
  
"Oh that's just great. Two of us against a gun toting weirdo with a vendetta against you..."  
Bonkers said, "And one of us no good in a fight."  
  
"Tis not true, my friend." Halb replied, rubbing the toon's furry head, the way he'd seen  
Miranda sometimes do, "We shall rescue Miranda, and you shall be a great help in doing so."   
  
Bonkers brightened, "Bonkers D. Bobcat and the Butcher of Steinchroe on another whirlwind  
adventure..."   
  
At Halb's somber expression, Bonkers said, "Sorry, I meant Halb of Parmas."  
  
Halb silently sheathed the reversed blade sword, "Oaths are not taken lightly, Bonkers. As you  
know. My solemn vow was to never take life again..."

* * *

"Oh, but that vow shall be broken, swordsman of Parmas." Maleficent said. She held one of   
the pages of the prophesy, one that Terroenza's followers had taken from one of Merlin's   
couriers in EPCOT.   
  
"Beware, Maleficent..." the enchanted mirror behind her spoke, "For the swordsman of Parmas  
can reverse his blade for the sake of good."   
  
"Then we must be sure that he reverses his blade for the sake of evil." Maleficent said,  
sweeping her hand over the crystal ball, showing Morerro and his two comrades tying Miranda   
to a chair.

* * *

Miranda winced as she felt the rope cut through her bad wrist. 'Sprained, not broken,   
otherwise it'd hurt a hell of a lot more.' She thought.  
  
"Why are you doing this?" Miranda asked.  
  
"Thou shalt not be harmed, gentle lady." Morerro replied.  
  
"She travels with the swordsman of Parmas, Morerro. Shall we not sample her charms then   
end the harlot's life." One of the three said.  
  
"Be still Moab, be still. The one who I wish to kill, The Butcher of Steinchroe, is he who shall   
be killed. We shall let this woman free the moment the life of Parmas is ended." Morerro said,   
"By my hand."  
  
"He isn't the Butcher of Steinchroe anymore." Miranda began.  
  
"Regret is no substitute for blood, gentle lady." Morerro replied, "He killed my brother, and my   
brother's blood demands his blood. Tilst shall be avenged."   
  
"Can't you see Halb regrets his actions." Miranda replied.  
  
"Again, gentle lady, no regret can extinguish the flames that burned Tilst." Morerro replied.   
Miranda could see the deep pain and hurt in the young man's eyes, but she could also see the   
unreasoning hatred for revenge. She could see it was clouding his judgement. By subtle cues on   
the part of Moab and the third fellow's actions as they carted her off down the river in their skiff   
she could tell that they had no intention of letting Morerro live after he completed his deed of   
vengeance. The leering attention the two gave her was disconcerting, but what was more so   
disconcerting was the next conversation.  
  
"After Morerro gets his vengeance, we shall collect the handsome reward that Lilith Duprave  
promised us for her capture." Moab said, indicating Miranda.  
  
"Perhaps we shall sample her charms first before doing so Moab." the third man, an older  
fellow with a hooded cloak replied.  
  
"That was my intent."   
  
Miranda slowly inched a shard of glass she had hidden in her shirt sleeve and began cutting   
away at the cord binding her wrists. As soon as the third fellow had left the room with Morerro   
Miranda saw Moab leer at her and say, "Well perhaps I should do a bit of exploring first."  
Miranda batted her eyelashes, "I'd like that..."  
  
'Good, fall for the dumb blonde ploy like any other lackey's bound to do...' Miranda thought as   
Moab moved closer. She scissored her long legs upward, kicking Moab under the chin,   
stunning him and then with all the force she could muster she swung the chair into his face. From   
what she saw, he wasn't breathing. She knew she shouldn't regret killing him, the man was   
planning to rape her and turn her over to Lilith Duprave and God knows what hideous fate.   
  
She snuck out of the wooden farm house where she was being held and jumped into the main   
channel and started swimming. Miranda had been a champion swimmer in high school and even on the Toon Town beat she still swam three times a week. But she'd never attempted swimming   
with a sprained wrist before. She hissed sharply as the pain shot through her hand, but the  
adrenaline of the escape was overriding the pain.   
  
Morerro watched her swim away. He wasn't going to shoot the swimming woman, for she   
would lead him to the Butcher of Steinchroe and revenge.

* * *

"HALB!" Miranda shouted, as she swam towards the tour boat Bonkers and Halb had   
commandered.   
  
The two hauled Miranda into the boat and she barely breathed out her warning when a shot   
just missed Halb. "Morerro of Tilst, if thou desires revenge, take thy best shot..." Halb said,   
calmly standing to his full height, "But permit my companions safe passage."  
  
"Halb, wait..." Miranda said.  
  
"Be still, milady, I know what I must do." Halb replied.

* * *

Morerro was shocked. This wasn't the Butcher of Steinchroe he was expecting. Indeed, the   
man standing to his full height in the tour boat may have once been the reviled villain, but there   
was not a trace of the malice and cruelty in his eyes now.  
  
"Take the shot Morerro." The older man said, "Tis a rare opportunity..."   
  
"I - I cannot..." Morerro said, "For I cannot defeat the swordsman of Parmas. All I can do is   
kill him. And no longer doth it captivate my interest."

* * *

"Noble Swordsman of Parmas." Morerro said, as he rose from his hiding place, "I shall not kill   
thee. I can see now the Butcher of Steinchroe I have long hunted is dead."   
  
Halb calmly said, "That he is, Morerro of Tilst."   
  
"I permit thee safe passage, swordsman of Parmas." Morerro said, "For you have shown me   
thou art truly contrite. I could kill thee, but that would not fulfill my aim of defeating the Butcher of Steinchroe..."  
  
It was then that the hooded man leapt from hiding and stabbed a small, six inch knife into   
Morerro's back and fled. The trio headed to Morerro's side.  
  
"Who hath done this to thee, Morerro?" Halb asked.  
  
"A courtier of Vasserbunde..." Morerro said as he died.  
  
"Vasserbunde?" Halb asked.  
  
"Isn't that Prince Nupraptor's city?" Miranda asked.  
  
"Aye, Milady, but that means that Nupraptor has a traitor in his midst." Halb replied.  
  
"Parmas is not dead, milord." Sir Ferguson said to Terroenza.  
  
"Thou hath failed me, Ferguson, and you should know I suffer failure not..." Terroenza began,   
drawing his own sword.  
  
"Stay your sword, Terroenza." Maleficent began, "This could work to our advantage. Sir   
Ferguson, a new task I have for you. Turn the swordsman of Parmas to our side by any means   
possible. Any means."

* * *

TBC 


	11. The Reversed Blade Sword

The Reversed Blade Sword

Disclaimer: Same as before...FireStar, sorry this one's so late. Also I don't know the name of the family in the Horizon's pavilion so I'll refer to them as the Maitlands.

* * *

"Rest in peace, Morerro, for you know that you and your brother are now united in the sight of Heaven." Halb intoned reverently as he closed the boy's eyes, crossed his arms and spread a tarp over his form.

Miranda and Bonkers showed similar respect, and in the Miranda's case a newfound respect for Halb. He was willing to trade his own life, rather than take the life of another. Halb, a veteran soldier, obviously had seen much death in the war that ravaged his homeworld, but it seemed that every death took something out of him.

Halb closed his eyes, now the closest friends he had in long memory knew his dark secret. He was the Butcher of Steinchroe, no matter what he professed, for buried deep within his heart the dark beast lurked. He could not permit anything to free this beast, but he remembered the savage elation felt in battles past where he fought through the ranks of the enemies of Parmas. He recalled the copper scent of blood as his blade slashed through bodies. No matter that the warrior nobleman had reversed his sword's blade, it appeared that through Merlin's prophesy, the blade would be inevitably turned the right way.

_Come to me, Swordsman of Parmas. _The seductive voice intoned, speaking straight to Halb's heart. _It has been a long time since you have killed. Those Heartless are not beings like you, reverse your blade and kill them. Feel the blade slash their flesh, smell the scent of blood, you are not a man Halb of Parmas, you are he, the Butcher of Steinchroe._

"Halb?" Miranda said. It seemed Halb had gone into a trance of some kind, for he simply stood, breathing evenly. She touched him gently, feeling the hard muscle beneath the well worn, simple homespun tunic Halb wore. Halb did not flinch; he slowly extracted the sword, holding it, blade upward, in front of his face, his left hand on the dial to reverse the blade.

"Milady?" Halb asked.

"Are you OK? You kind of spaced out over there." Miranda asked.

"Twas nothing of consequence, Miranda." Halb replied.

"Look, Halb, I..." Miranda began, concern etching her features.

"Halb, wait! I found something." Bonkers said, interrupting them. He held up a crest with a tree etched upon it.

_There's something Halb isn't telling me. _Miranda thought. _Come on, you know you can trust me. Please, tell me what's wrong. If you're doubting yourself, let me help you. You aren't the Butcher of Steinchroe anymore, you're just Halb of Parmas, a man far more honorable than any I've known._

* * *

"Milady!" a courier said, "Reinforcements from Parmas have arrived to bolster our force. The Prince of Parmas sends his greetings and wishes Prince Nupraptor and yourself health and fair time of day."

"Hath thou located Sir Fergusson, since his inspection of our positions at the North Bastion?" Arial asked.

"Nay milady, the skirmishers bring reports that his entourage was found slain, but no sign of him was discovered." The courier said.

* * *

"Good, you guys got the land and sea crests. You need to go to the Horizon's pavilion next." Cobra said, over the radio.

"David, can you keep working with that puzzle in your head, I need to tell Halb, Miranda and Bonkers where to go next." Cobra continued as a laser beam shot past his head, spearing a Heartless through the midsection.

Outside the militia was fighting the relentless band of Heartless charging for Spaceship Earth. Johann's sniping was taking it's toll as well, each shot killing or severely wounding an enemy. "I'm kinda busy right now!" David shouted, pushing his shock stick into a Heartless, zapping it with a fatal current.

A Bandit Heartless raised it's sword to cleave Cobra Bubbles in half, only to fall, decapitated, next to him. "Perhaps thou might needst assistance."

Rezeen of Parmas, son of Moebius, strode forth, his rapier drawn in his right hand and a shorter sword about half as long in the other. Five Bandit Heartless charged through the end of the attraction, towards the keyhole. One of them swung at Rezeen, who deflected the blow with his rapier and stabbed the Bandit through the chest. Without even extracting his shorter sword, Rezeen swung his blade and slashed the belly of the second Bandit open. He drew out the shorter sword and charged, both blades whirling in a deadly dance of steel clashing against the bandit swords. Within two or three swings, each Bandit was dispatched, the last being swiftly decapitated with both blades.

David felt chilled. This guy fought like almost as well as Halb, and supposedly was an apprentice. David could only imagine the carnage that would result if Halb reversed his blade and drew out the small but razor sharp dagger at his side. The Heartless would fall like wheat before a reaper if Halb were to reverse his blade.

The militia outside was clearly killing of several Heartless, but still several made it past their cordon into David, Cobra, and Rezeen's position. Johann's sniping was doing damage as well, but what was needed for Halb and the others to return, quickly, and seal the door to the Heart of Darkness via the reversed blade sword.

* * *

"Halb of Parmas, the Butcher of Steinchroe who has turned over a new leaf..." came a voice.

Halb, Bonkers, and Miranda turned. "Who art thou? I know not who you are, stranger?" Halb asked.

"I am Dreamfinder." The man said. He was a short, bearded, slightly portly fellow in a nineteenth century style suit with a top hat, carrying a pocket watch of gold, "The prophesy told of a swordsman with the reversed blade sword, but the names Butcher of Steinchroe and Halb of Parmas, have been spoken synonymously since the Heartless invasion."

"Where must we go to find the third crest?" Miranda asked.

"I cannot say, for they are hidden carefully." Dreamfinder said, "The Heartless have many spies...But what you seek lies over the Horizon."

There was a mysterious contraption that Dreamfinder sat on. It looked like a bizarre combination of nineteenth century machinery with twenty-first century digital technology. He pushed a lever on the machine and vanished.

"But what we seek lies over the Horizon?" Halb said, "Which horizon, east or west...Either way it means a trip of many days."

"Halb, no it doesn't." Miranda said, holding up an EPCOT guide map she'd found, "The pavilion, Horizons, it's where the next crest is."

"Then that is where we'd best go." Halb replied.

* * *

"Milady." A boy, scarcely nine years of age, with brown hair said, to a raven haired young woman, "The Butcher of Steinchroe approaches."

"It is no consequence." The woman said, her tunic flowed loosely over her lean, athletic frame. Over it she wore a simple black vest, well fitted trousers, and a comfortable but durable pair of boots completed her simple garb. Hanging at her side was a rapier, a slim bladed and elegant sword similar to Halb's. She was maybe twenty-one years of age, her black hair pulled in a simple ponytail behind her head.

"The prophesy declared the Butcher of Steinchroe would draw near." She mulled to herself, "But as friend or foe, I know not. But if the latter he must be killed and I must do the deed. Perhaps my days of defending this Horizon are through, for the Butcher of Steinchroe is the best swordsman in the land. The swordswomen of Ucschtenheim have long protected those we deem worthy, and many have lain down their lives to do so. Perhaps to lay my life before the Butcher of Steinchroe is my destiny. But handicapped as I am, my skill with the sword is but a shadow of its former nature. I will challenge and fight the Butcher of Steinchroe and let God decide the outcome."

A single silent tear flowed down the maiden's cheek, starting in her ice blue eyes. It was her single greatest honor to defend the Maitland family from the harm the Heartless posed them. The Maitlands had escaped destruction at the hand of Lilith Duprave, Blacknbloo, and Al Vermin's forces. She had defended, with great courage and skill, but now it might well end, facing the infamous Butcher of Steinchroe, a man who showed no mercy to any foe, much less one handicapped as she.

She remembered that horrible night that the villains attacked, six days prior. She had wounded, severely, many of Al Vermin's henchmen, they had lost limbs to the sharpened steel of her rapier. Then Sir Ferguson appeared. The noble courtier of Vasserbunde, long a protector of Ucschtenheim, feigned concern for her. It was then she realized he was a traitor, for in tow were Al Vermin, Lilith Duprave, and Blacknbloo. After subduing her in a battle where a dozen of their retinue of Heartless were slain, they tied her down and broke her right arm. She could still use her left to fight, but it was her weaker sword arm, and she often would lose her grip on her sword. Her right hand could just about close around the hilt, but all it would take would be a simple swing from an opponent to dislodge the sword.

"Hark, tis my death approaching." The swordswoman said to herself, to the young boy she shouted, "Be off boy, tis best you not watch your sister killed."

"But sister, I will stand at thy side, come what may." The child sputtered.

The woman said, "Begone child for I can defend thee no longer."

The little boy, with tears in his eyes, rushed off as his sister commanded. The woman noticed a trio heading her way. One was instantly recognized as the infamous Butcher, an athletic blonde woman, and a strange orange cat. The Butcher had a different air about him, when he sighted her, he didn't draw his sword.

"Halt! Thou art intruders, tis my duty as defender of this realm to stop thine advance!" she shouted, with more bravado than she felt.

"Peace unto thee, guardswoman." Halb began, "I am Halb of Parmas. We mean thy masters no harm, we are merely passing through."

"Thou art the Butcher of Steinchroe. I am Tara, the Maiden Swordswoman of Uchstenheim. The family living here are those I serve to my dying day. Defend thyself, Butcher of Steinchroe, for you will advance no further."

"Halb, do something, this woman wants to kill you." Miranda urged.

"Here me, Maiden of Uchstenheim, I am no longer he whom you seek to kill. I am simply Halb of Parmas!"

"The prophesy fortells you will come to do me harm or good, I know not. But I suspect the former." Tara replied, drawing her sword with her left hand. She swung the blade towards Halb as he was extracting his sword. The blade of her rapier sliced across Halb's chest, drawing blood from a shallow wound.

_Hark, I have missed his throat, and so to my decisive blow. I will face this defeat with valor, but alas I am done. _Tara thought as the Butcher of Steinchroe extracted his sword.

"What trickery is this?" Tara demanded, when she noticed the reversed blade of the sword, "Thou canst be the Butcher of Steinchroe, thy blade tis reversed."

"Tis reversed for I have vowed to never kill again." Halb replied.

Tara swung the blade in a quick slice for Halb's jugular. Easily Halb blocked the attack, but did not press on. He deflected seven more attacks with practiced ease before he knocked her sword away. "I seek to do thee no harm." Halb said.

"And what of my charges?" Tara asked.

"You have my word I shall defend them with my blade." Halb replied.

"The prophesy is fulfilled. You seek to do me no harm. I will aid thee in your quest, Halb of Parmas."

"Thou art in no shape to do so, Maiden." Halb replied, "Thy left arm tis not thy sword arm."

"Aye, tis true. Lilith Duprave had my right arm disabled by the hand of the traitor Sir Ferguson." Tara replied.

"Sir Ferguson," Halb said, "He is the traitor of Vasserbunde's court?"

"Aye, tis true." Tara replied, "I know not why, but I vow to aid thee, Halb of Parmas."

"Stand down, thou art not in any state to fight." Halb said, "Thou hast performed thy labor with zeal and skill, but now thou must be helped."

"We have a doctor on our ship." Miranda said, "He can heal your arm."

"We'll need someone to take her there." Bonkers said, "It's not safe in the park."  
  
Offended, Tara said, "I can help myself, orange one. Even wounded I have slain many a Heartless."

"Be not wronged, fair maiden." Halb said, "Many more dangers other than Heartless exist here."

Over their radio-link Miranda heard Johann say, "Curses! I am almost out of shot. I must return to the ship."

"Johann, do you know where Horizons is?" Miranda asked, talking on her radio.

"Aye, I do milady." Johann replied.

"We have someone who needs medical attention here. Can you and Nani get to the pavilion?"

"Yes." Johann replied, "We will be there."

* * *

"Johann, can you go to Horizons by yourself? Cobra sounds like he needs help in Spaceship Earth." Nani said.

"Aye, I will do so, milady." Johann replied.

In both his rifles, Johann had a single shot remaining. Both were loaded, all he had to do was cock back the hammers and take aim and fire. _Time to use the sword. _Johann thought grimly.

He drew forth his short sword, a harquebusier's blade suitable for close quarter fighting. He began hacking his way through the Heartless that impeded his path. He didn't fight them as smoothly as Halb might have, but he fought them well, hacking his way through the attacking Heartless, thanking God that Halb had taught him to fight with a blade. He finally reached Horizons with about a dozen dead Heartless left in his wake.

"Johann." Halb said, "Go take this woman to our ship."

"Aye, milord." Johann replied.

Tara looked up to see a young man, about her own age, with brown hair and a huntsman's air. He was obviously a skirmisher, and if his accent was any indication, it placed him in one of the outer settlements within the boundaries of Vasserbunde.

"Who art thou?" Tara asked, as she went out the door to join him.

"I am Johann of Feldstatden. Tis my duty to see you safely to our ship." Johann replied.

"I need not an escort." Tara said, "Helpless I am not."

The woman drew a rapier from its sheath, using her left hand and Johann instantly recognized the sword as the steel of the Serioli, the great weapon smiths of Memel. The designs etched on the hilt and blade revealed its owner to be one of the Amazonian swordswomen that guarded the town of Ucschtenheim and the surrounding countryside.

"Thou art wounded, sayeth Halb." Johann replied.

Tara didn't reply but instantly set upon a Shadow Heartless that would have snuck up on Johann. She slashed it across the throat with one swift arc. Johann's eyes widened, "Who art thou?"

"I am Tara, the Maiden Swordswoman of Ucschtenheim." Tara replied, "The traitor Sir Ferguson hath wounded me."

"How so, milady, for thy skill with the blade tis impressive?" Johann asked.

Tara removed one of her elegant leather gloves and rolled up a sleeve, revealing evidence of an ugly fracture. "He hath disabled my best sword arm."

Johann was incensed, "Milord Sir Ferguson, a traitor?"

"Aye." Tara replied.

"Twas the captain I served under." Johann replied. He was also awed by the skill of the swordswoman. For years of his boyhood his father told tales of these awesome warriors of the mountains surrounding the valley of Ucschtenheim. These women were attributed to great deeds, and indeed their champion Andromache had formed a peace with Vasserbunde when she defeated the Prince almost three hundred years ago.

They moved through EPCOT's streets, avoiding large groups of Heartless and hearing the sounds of Seabase Alpha's militia fighting with the foe as they approached Cobra Bubbles' position.

A Soldier Heartless swiped its claws toward Johann and he swung his own sword in reply, cleaving off the creature's arm in a single swipe. Tara finished the creature off, stabbing it through the chest with the rapier.

"Come, we must reach your ship and see this wonderful man of medicine you speak of." Tara said.

* * *

"Halb of Parmas." Came a voice, from around a corner, near the area where the pavilions cars met, "We meet again."

"Al Vermin." Miranda remarked in reply.

"Show thyself, creature." Halb replied. The Voice again spoke, _Turn thy blade, swordsman of Parmas. Feel it's razor edge on the right side as it hacks this insect from sternum to crotch._

"I admit, Sir Ferguson was brilliant to injure the Maiden Swordswoman. She was quite a bother to our plans." Al Vermin said.

Al Vermin came around the corner, and so did four of his henchmen. "We held her down with our remaining arms. She fought with great skill..."

Halb could see the roach-like toon was missing an eye. The other henchmen as well, showed evidence of newly regenerated limbs, "This is her work."

"She was a noble lady, a protector and you dishonored her." Halb said, his voice taking on a menacing tone that frightened all who heard it. Never once had Miranda heard Halb speak in anger.

_Feed my lust, Butcher of Steinchroe. Slay these vermin, spill their blood upon the earth. _The Voice said. Halb continued, his voice rising with each word, "You did not even permit her the right to die honorably! Instead you committed vile torture not fit for the lowest of men to endure!"

A fierce light, like the light of the flames of Hell, flashed in Halb's eyes. Al Vermin swallowed nervously; it appeared that he had found a boundary he shouldn't have crossed. For the first time, he was truly afraid, for in times past this swordsman had not chosen to kill anything. Now, however, he could see the infamous Butcher of Steinchroe that Sir Ferguson told him of. He splayed one of his hands out, to summon the Heartless, but to his horror saw none appear.

What Al Vermin did not know was that to turn Halb to the side of evil a sacrifice of blood was needed. Maleficent considered him to be expendable at this point, so revoked his power to summon the Heartless. What he did know was that he outnumbered Halb, Bonkers and Miranda. He ordered the attack and two more insect-like henchmen appeared and quickly subdued Miranda and Bonkers, holding swords to their throats.

"Your friends are in dire straits, Halb of Parmas." Al Vermin said, "Should you strike out at me..."

Al Vermin never finished that sentence. From the scabbard came the reversed blade sword, and as it was fully drawn, Halb expertly turned the blade so the razor sharp edge faced the enemy. Halb first attacked the other two henchmen, the sword slashing each one of their hands off at the wrist. Their swords clattered to the floor as Halb hacked off their arms. He spun to face the other five members of the gang.

Silkworm tried to protect his boss only to feel a searing pain down one side. All three of the limbs on his left side were twitching about the floor in pools of blood. Before he could blink, the other set of limbs were sheered off in a flash of steel.

"I will leave your henchmen alive!" Halb shouted, "So you are dismembered you fiend!"

The other three henchmen attacked, but one by one lost arms and legs to the flashing steel blade. Al Vermin threw up his arms to protect himself only to see two of them twitching on the ground. "Pay with your life for your misdeed you shall!"

Al Vermin lay prostrate on the ground, missing two of four arms and both legs. Halb stood over him, menacingly, while the other henchmen slithered and crawled about the ground, maimed by Halb's blade.

"HALB!" Miranda shouted, "He isn't worth it! Remember your vow to never again take another life! Think about it Halb! Why did you reverse your blade? Remember you are a nobleman acting only with honor, not with rage."

The fire died down, and Halb stepped off Al Vermin's chest and reversed again the dial of his sword. The sword that had been raised in a symbolic execution arc was again reversed. Halb struck Al Vermin on one of his remaining arms, breaking it.

"Thus hath your evil been repaid, Vermin. Go forth fiends." Halb said.

Al Vermin and his henchmen limped, slithered, and crawled away in defeat. Halb watched them go, breathing hard. Miranda put a comforting arm around him and Halb almost drew away, but instead leaned in. Miranda unwrapped her arms from Halb, saying, "You are still Halb of Parmas. The Butcher of Steinchroe is dead."

"No, Miranda, he lives on." Halb said, "As long as my heart beats, the Butcher of Steinchroe lives."

"Guys, I hate to interrupt, but we got a quest to fulfill." Bonkers said.

"Onward." Halb replied, sheathing his sword. For all his eight years of wandering and his newfound vow, Halb realized that the Butcher of Steinchroe still lurked beneath his façade. Thankfully he had his friends to keep that creature in check.

* * *

TBC (How should Bonkers and Miranda react to having seen Halb as the Butcher of Steinchroe for the first time?)


End file.
